Dauntless Redemption
by Damn you Kylie
Summary: Time for Eric to redeem himself – with a lot of help from Four. Four and Tris were friends in Abnegation. So they will know each other when she arrives in Dauntless. Susan Black feels utterly betrayed by Caleb choosing Erudite. So there is only one thing she thinks she can do. Leave Abnegation. Disclaimer: I do not own the Divergent Series.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone I'm back!_

 _Just to let you know there will be swearing in this, we are talking aboutEric here. I wanted to give Eric a chance to redeem himself, I always seem to be killing him off. I also felt that Susan Black got such a raw deal with Caleb so I wanted her to have a chance to have a life. Hope you all enjoy this as much as I do writing for you. Also I don't know if I will be updating as quickly as I usually do but I will try._

* * *

 **TWO YEARS AGO**

 **FOUR POV**

I am waiting outside the school for her. I have just taken my aptitude test and I am supposed to go straight home afterwards. But I just can't seem to do it. I just want to see her one more time. My father not that I should even be calling him that. He hasn't been a father to me for an extremely long time. Marcus has finally been letting me leave the house to mix with other people from my faction. Mix is probably the wrong word, it almost makes it sound social.

There is no such thing as being social in Abnegation. Rather Marcus has been letting me volunteer for the last year. He realised that he couldn't keep me hidden from the world if he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. He has this deluded idea that I am going to lead Abnegation once he has decided to retire. If only he knew.

I look at my watch and see that I only have a few more minutes until school is officially let out for the day and then I will be able to walk her home. Marcus decided that I could help Beatrice Prior with the volunteer work she was doing down at the distribution centre. There is always a large amount of heavy lifting to be done and well most of the boxes are almost half the size of Beatrice. Because Marcus is good friends with her dad Andrew they thought it would be good for us to work together.

At first I was not too happy about the whole arrangement. I'm not very good around others and with the beatings I get from Marcus some days the work at the distribution centre is excruciatingly painful. But once I looked into those grey blue eyes the pain seemed inconsequential. It is now the best part of my week. That and we walk to and from school together every day. We usually have her brother Caleb tagging along with us. But on the good days, which are the days when Susan and Robert Black walk with us, he is too busy talking with Susan to pay us any attention.

I hear the bell ring and I know it will only be a few moments before she will come bursting through those doors glad that another day of school is over. I also know that we won't have Caleb for company because he is at home sick. I am lost in thought when I feel a hand on my arm and I know who it is instantly. No one else could give me the feeling that I get when she touches. That feeling when you feel a quick spark of electricity and then a warmth that feels like it could warm your bones on a freezing winters day.

I look down to see Beatrice standing in front of me and I smile. "Hi," I say.

"Hey," she says. "I didn't think you would be here this afternoon. I thought you would have gone home straight after the test."

"I was supposed to. But I couldn't let you walk home all alone now could I?" I say.

"Oh Tobias I hope this doesn't get you in trouble with Marcus. I would hate to think that it is my fault if he gets angry," she says. Beatrice has known for a while now what Marcus is truly like. I tried to hide it from her but with how frequent the beatings are and trying to work in the distribution centre she soon worked out there was something wrong.

At least now I have someone who can help me when it is really bad. Thank goodness everyone in Abnegation is taught basic first aid. It is hard enough trying to tend to my own wounds on my back, so when you have someone who can help, it makes it so much easier. I don't know how many nights Beatrice has snuck over to my house and helped me just after it has happened.

She is the bravest person I know. She never worries that Marcus or even her parents may catch her. It has always scared me that if Marcus caught her he would try to inflict the same damage on her that he does on me. Because she lives next door our bedroom windows look straight into each other's so I am able to give her a signal for when Marcus has gone to bed. I couldn't tell you how many times she has been hiding in my closet because Marcus has come into my room to check on me. She is so selfless, never thinking of what danger she is putting herself into.

"I don't care Tris," I say. Tris is my nickname for her. Beatrice is just so boring and Abnegation. She is so more a Tris.

"But Tobias you should," she says.

"Tris this is the last night I have to spend in that house. Which we both know it won't matter what I do he will find an excuse to beat me," I say.

"I hate this Tobias. I wish you would have let me tell someone. This isn't right," she says.

We are almost at the start of the Abnegation area of the city. There are abandoned buildings around us. I take her hand and say, "Follow me, I need to tell you something. I can't have anyone hear us."

I take us into an old building that I know is abandoned and I sit down on the floor. Tris sits across from me and I can see she looks a little confused. I reach out for her hand and she lets me take it. Tris and I are only friends, I have always wanted it to be more but I don't really know how to tell her how I feel. Plus in Abnegation if someone saw us holding hands like we are now we wouldn't be allowed to see each other anymore. And I don't think I could have survived the last year without her.

"Tris I'm leaving Abnegation," I say. I can see the shock on her face but then she starts to nod.

"I understand why Tobias. But where are you going to go?"

"If you could pick a different faction then which one would it be Tris?" I ask.

"Dauntless," she says without hesitation.

"Then Dauntless it is," I say. Now I see confusion written all over her face.

"Why would you do that Tobias?"

"Because if you decide you don't want to be in Abnegation in two years time then I will be there waiting for you," I say.

"But I don't understand. Why would you be waiting for me?"

I laugh at her response, she just doesn't have a clue about the way I feel about her.

"Because I'm in love with you Tris," I say.

"What? Really? Why? What could you possibly see in me Tobias?"

"You are the bravest person I know. You are selfless and kind. You are smart and most of all you are the most beautiful girl in the world. I couldn't have survived the last year without you. You got me through the days so that I could survive the nights with Marcus," I say.

"I'm going to miss you," she says. "More than you could ever imagine."

"This has been the hardest decision that I have ever had to make. But I know I can't stay here, I can't be ruled by him any longer. I know I wouldn't survive it. And I don't think you really want to stay in Abnegation either. If I stayed to be with you it would only tear us apart when you have to choose. Because there is a fire that is in your eyes Tris and if you stay it will eventually burn out. I don't ever want to have to see that fire burn out. So if you decide to stay here then I will never have to witness it. I couldn't bare it," I say.

"Oh Tobias I know you are right. I hate that you are right. I knew things would change once you had to choose but. . ." she says.

"I'm sorry Tris. I really am. I just hope you will forgive me one day for doing this," I say.

"There is nothing to forgive. I understand, I hate Marcus. I hate that he is who he is and that he has made your life so miserable. Really I suppose I am happy for you. Knowing you won't have to endure any more pain from him will make it worth it," she says.

"We better go, I don't want you to get into trouble for being late home too," I say. I rise from sitting and then I reach out my hand to Tris. She takes it and I pull her up. I pull a little too hard, I always forget how small she is, and she falls onto me. I catch her in my arms. I set her on her feet but I can't take my eyes off of her. I can't resist, this may be the only chance I ever get to do this. So I touch her face and I lean in close and brush my lips to hers. I can't help but grin and then press my mouth onto hers.

I feel her tense up at first and so I pull away just a little, I can see the uncertainty in her eyes. So I take her face in my hands and I kiss her again, firmer this time and then I feel her wrap her arm around me. She slides her hand up onto my neck and into my hair. We stay kissing like this for a few minutes. We break away breathless and I wish we didn't have to leave. But I know I will be punished if I am not home soon. Although it is going to be worth it.

* * *

The beating I got from Marcus is indescribable. His anger was worse than normal. I don't even know how I am going to be able to walk to the Choosing Ceremony tomorrow. My back is a bloody mess. I can't move enough to be able to put the ointment on it. That is when I hear the tap on my window. I hadn't signalled Tris to tell her the coast is clear. I wasn't going to tonight. I wanted my last memory of her to be of our kiss.

I walk unsteadily over to my window and open it. She can already tell that it has been a bad night for me. She gets the first aid kit out of my cupboard without saying a word. I am so thankful she is here and she knows what to do.

"Take your shirt off and lay on the bed Tobias," she instructs me to do.

I don't argue. I take my shirt off and lay on my stomach.

"I'm sorry but this is going to hurt," she says. I just sort of grunt. I am exhausted from the pain I am already in but I know if I can get through the next few minutes I will feel better.

I always have the first aid kit prepared. With bottles of water and towels. I must own the biggest first aid kit in the whole of the city. I can hear her pouring the water into the bowl. She then opens another bottle, I know this is the antiseptic and it is going to sting. But I also know it will stop me from getting an infection. I hear her wring out the towel and my body is already starting to tense.

I hide my face in my pillow to muffle my scream so I don't wake Marcus. As soon as the towel touches my skin I feel the tears start to prickle my eyes. Tris works as fast as she can but it doesn't really matter. The pain is ripping through my body, I can feel myself becoming light headed.

"I'm nearly finished," she whispers. It is like she knows I am close to passing out. It has happened before. She starts to rub the ointment into my back and the cool cream is starting to sooth the burning. "Tobias I need you to sit up so I can wrap the bandage around you."

I push myself up and raise my arms above my head so I don't get in her way. "All done, you can lie back down now," she says.

"Will you stay until I fall asleep?" I ask.

"Of course," she says. I lie back down on my stomach and I can feel her hand running through my hair. I am almost asleep when she bends down and whispers in my ear, "I love you too Tobias. I will see you in two years, I promise."

I am hoping that I heard her correctly, but I can't be sure, I wanted to hear those words so badly that I'm frightened it was just my imagination. I feel my eyelids getting heavier until I finally fall into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHOOSING DAY**

 **SUSAN POV**

I arrive at the Choosing Ceremony with my brother Robert and our parents. It is an exciting day but also a sad day. Robert told us that he has decided to choose Amity today. He doesn't feel he belongs in Abnegation and he wants to be able to enjoy life. He feels he could never do that in Abnegation. My parents were happy for him. They were pleased with his choice. They both agreed that if he was going to leave Abnegation then Amity was a good choice.

I am going to miss him terribly. But at the same time I know I am only moments away from being able to start my life in Abnegation. I am sure that once initiation is over that Caleb and I will be able to start officially courting. I have been waiting for that day for what seems so long. I don't remember a time when Caleb wasn't a part of my life but for the last year we have been stealing glances at one another. We have also spent time with each other's families.

I just know we are going to have a wonderful life together. So while I am losing my brother I am hoping I will be gaining a husband. Robert and I find our place in the long queue of other sixteen year olds waiting for the ceremony to start so we can choose our fates. I catch a glimpse of Caleb there is no way I will be able to see Beatrice she is just too short in this crowd of people. I see Mr and Mrs Prior having their last words with Caleb and Beatrice and then they depart to take their seats with the other Abnegation members that are here today.

Marcus our leader from Abnegation is standing at the podium he starts to speak. I'm not really paying attention to what he is saying. I silently scold myself for being so selfish and getting wrapped up in my own thoughts. I should at least be pretending to listen to what he has to say. As much as I love Abnegation and I enjoy helping others even I find it hard sometimes to stop myself from daydreaming and getting lost in my own thoughts.

Marcus is telling everyone about the five factions and what they all stand for. Everyone is listening attentively as he seems to be getting closer to the end of his speech. The last words he speaks I agree with completely. "Therefore this day marks a happy occasion-the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work with us toward a better society and a better world."

I see this day as a happy day. It is the start of the rest of my life, with Caleb. I watch as the sixteen year olds start to make their way forward. Waiting for their name to be called so they can drip their blood into the bowl so they can start the rest of their lives.

I am starting to get nervous. I can see that Marcus will be calling Caleb soon and I start to get butterflies in my stomach. I watch as the boy before him a Dauntless decides to switch factions and you can hear the mutters coming from the Dauntless section. There are always people who transfer, I know my brother is about to do it. But people still seemed shocked when it happens. It isn't supposed to be your child or your faction that it happens too. It only happens to someone else. We all seem to live in our own faction bubble and think there is no better way of life. I always thought this too. But now that I see my brother is about to transfer, I understand that it isn't about any of that. If it was then we wouldn't have a Choosing Ceremony, we would all just stay within the faction we were born. So because of Robert I am glad we are given a chance to be who we are and not what our parents or our faction may think we should be.

As the boy moves away from the podium and off to his new life I hear it. "Caleb Prior," says Marcus.

I watch as he walks toward the bowls, he gives one last look to Beatrice over his shoulder. He walks over to Marcus and accepts the knife from him. I see him slice his palm and there is blood pooling in his palm. He takes a breath out then in and then he lets the blood drip into the Erudite bowl. What?

I gasp and I feel a hand grab hold of mine. I watch as Caleb makes his way toward the Erudite section as tears start to well in my eyes. "Did you know?" Robert asks me. I shake my head. "I'm sorry Susan," he says and gives my hand a squeeze. I'm so grateful that Robert is standing next to me.

I don't understand what is happening. I look over to Beatrice and she looks almost as shocked as I do. This makes me think he didn't even tell Beatrice. I look up into the crowd and I can see only devastation written on Mr Priors' face. I can hear outraged cries coming from the crowd; this is a much bigger shock to people than the Dauntless boy who just transferred before him.

What am I supposed to do now? Robert is leaving. Now Caleb has left. I don't understand a few short minutes ago I was thinking about my future and how it would revolve around Caleb. Now I have nothing, I have no one. I watch as Beatrice is called to the podium and I think at least I will have my friend with me. I always thought that she would be the one to transfer, not Caleb. I can't see her leaving her parents now.

I see her cut her palm and she stands there for a long time. A lot longer than any other girl or boy has today. She has her hand pressed close to her chest and then in one swift movement I hear the sizzle of the coals as her blood drops into the bowl. My mouth is open and I am shocked. I really thought that she would stay now that Caleb had chosen Erudite.

I still can't believe that he chose Erudite. He left me. How am I supposed to go back to Abnegation now? How can I face my family with the shame that he left. How can I face the Priors? I know that no one in Abnegation would ever say anything to me, but I am sure I will be able to see it in their eyes. I don't want to have to deal with their pity. But what else can I do?

"Did you know Beatrice was leaving?" Robert whispers to me.

I shake my head. "No but I always thought that she might. She didn't say anything but I know she wasn't as happy after Tobias left," I say. Robert just nods.

I think that was part of Roberts' decision to leave. He knew that Beatrice and he would only ever be friends and that there wasn't much choice for wives in Abnegation. They would have made a lovely couple but they both would have suffered for it in the long run. At least this way I know my brother and my best friend are going to be happy. But it still leaves me wondering about myself. I know it is selfish to think of one's self so much. I don't think I've thought about me as much as I have in the last few minutes.

Marcus is getting through the line of boys and girls quiet quickly now. It won't be long until it is my turn. Part of me doesn't want to have to go back to Abnegation. I am so embarrassed. I know I could never follow Caleb to Erudite. Mainly because I know I'm not smart enough, also I don't really want to have to keep studying. It was bad enough going to school. I could follow Robert to Amity. But I don't think I would fit in there. I'm not one to be outdoors a lot and I definitely don't want to be a farmer.

I am taken from my thoughts when I hear Marcus call my name. Robert gives me a small nudge and I look up to see him smiling at me. This is the last moment we will be together. "You don't have to pick Abnegation," he says. Does he feel my pain or is it just written all over my face. I smile back and nod. I don't think I could talk right now, I know the tears are ready to start flowing.

I walk up to the podium and take the knife from Marcus. He gives me a small smile; I can already see the pity is his eyes. If our leader can't help but look at me like that, what is the rest of Abnegation going to be like? I cut my hand and stand there looking at the five bowls. Amity is out, I don't like farming. Candor isn't even an option, I could never speak my mind it goes against everything I have ever been taught. Erudite I don't think so; I would not degrade myself any further by following him. Abnegation the place I have always fitted best with but now it feels like a terrible choice. Then I look at the coals. Dauntless it is where Beatrice has gone. I wonder if I could fit in there. They are our protectors; I would still be helping people if I was in Dauntless. I close my eyes and I put my hand over the bowl I have decided to choose and I wait and listen to the sound of my blood hitting the coals. The sizzle makes me open my eyes, I look up and I see the shock written all over Marcus' face.

I don't want to look into that face any more. I turn and quickly make my way over to a cheering Dauntless crowd. I reach the people and I start to get pats on my back and greetings. And thankfully there is no pity in their eyes. I make my way over to Beatrice and she grabs my hand and she says, "It's going to be alright Susan, we can do this."

I give her a smile and it is a smile that reaches my eyes because Beatrice isn't looking at me with pity she has excitement in her eyes. Like we are about to start a big adventure. I just hope I have made the right decision. It feels right but I am scared out of my wits.

"Did you know about Caleb?" I ask Beatrice.

"No, I had no idea, I still can't believe he did it," she says. "I'm sorry Susan. I really thought the two of you would be together."

"Thank you Beatrice," I say. "I can't believe I did this. How am I going to be Dauntless?"

"Susan it is okay. We are going to have fun. Nobody knows you so you can be whoever you want. You don't have to hide anymore. You can be so much more. I know you can do it Susan and I will be here with you. What made you choose Dauntless?"

"I couldn't stay in Abnegation. I couldn't stand to see the pity in everyone's eyes. Even when I took the knife from Marcus I could see him pitying me, it was horrible. I knew Robert wasn't staying. I felt like I was losing everyone I cared about. So I decided I would follow you, at least this way I have a friend and I will still be helping people if I become Dauntless," I say.

"You do have a friend Susan and we can get through this together. Just wait it is going to be exciting," she says.

I can see the excitement in her eyes. I knew Beatrice was never truly happy in Abnegation but now I see a fire in her that I had never seen before. I hope that she has enough fire in her to get us both through Dauntless initiation. Because at the moment I feel somewhere between broken and only half alive. Although the excitement that is buzzing around me is helping to lift my spirits. The Dauntless have an energy about them that I have never experienced before. Abnegation was all about blending into the background where here with the Dauntless they wouldn't know what a background is.

I turn to see what is happening around me, I have been so focused on talking to Beatrice that I had no idea what was going on. I see the last girl is now walking up to the podium. She picks Amity. Now it is time to leave. The Dauntless leave first. I have to walk past where my parents are sitting. I look up scared that they will only have pity and disappointment in their eyes. But when I finally see them all I see is the love that they have shown me for the past sixteen years. They both give me a small smile, it would be rude of them to show anything more, my mother mouths I love you to me and I can't help but smile. But at the same time I feel guilty for leaving them. My parents have always been so loving and selfless. Truly Abnegation. I just hope I have made the right decision.

Maybe I have made the right choice. My parents were both happy when Robert told them he was leaving. I just wish I could have one last conversation with them so they know why I have left and that the decision was made at the last second. It wasn't what I was planning to do. Hopefully I will get to see them on Visiting Day.

We are now in the middle of the Dauntless crowd as we make our way out of the room and towards the stairs. I thought only the Abnegation used the stairs. I look over to Beatrice and she looks as though she was thinking the same thing.

Once we reach the stairs everyone starts running. I hear whoops and shouts and laughter all around me, and dozens of thundering feet moving at different rhythms. I have never been a part of anything like this. It both excites me and terrifies me at the same time. How am I ever going to fit in with these people but at the same time I am thinking all I want to do is fit in with these people.

I hear a boy next to Beatrice shout "What the hell is going on?" She just shakes her head and keeps running. We burst through the doors and exit the building. I am completely breathless now; I have never done anything like this before. It was discouraged to run in Abnegation. As I am running with the rest of the Dauntless the ideals of Abnegation are starting to feel like a burden I have held and with each step I am slowly discarding them. And while my lungs burn and my muscles ache I feel as though my body is becoming lighter.

We turn a corner and then I hear the train horn. I forgot about this, the Dauntless jump on and off moving trains. How am I going to get on a moving train? I watch as the crowd spreads out into a long line. Beatrice must sense my apprehension and she calls out to me, "You can do it Susan, I'm sure you can." I am still so breathless from the numerous amount of stairs we have climbed down and the run we have taken to get to the train so I just nod my head at Beatrice. Hoping that I will be able to get on the train without too much difficulty. But I know this is going to be the hardest thing I do today. The Dauntless always look so graceful, it is so natural to them. But for me I have never been graceful and the concept of jumping on a moving train doesn't seem natural to me in the slightest.

We start to run beside the train and I can see Beatrice being pulled into the train by a girl. I feel like I am going to be left behind but then I see both Beatrice and the other girl holding their hands out to me. I push just that little harder and I feel my hands being enveloped by both girls' hands and with a final jump I land inside the train. It definitely wasn't graceful poor Beatrice and the other girl are flat on their backs with me partly on top of both of them.

"If it wasn't for it being two from Abnegation I say we would have a party on our hands," says a Candor transfer with an angelic face. He is tall with dark shiny hair, his nose is long with a narrow bridge and his eyes are green.

"Shut it Peter," says the tall dark skinned girl who helped Beatrice to get me onto the train.

"Oooh feisty Christina!" says the boy I now know is called Peter.

I push myself up so that I am now kneeling and help Beatrice to pull herself up.

"Thank you," I say.

"Are you all right?" Christina asks.

I nod my head and I can see Beatrice nodding too.

"I'm Christina," she says and holds out her hand in greeting to first Beatrice and then me.

"Beatrice," Beatrice says as she shakes Christina's hand.

"Susan," I say and follow what Beatrice did and shake Christina's hand. This is all so strange to me, Abnegation never touched in greeting so it is a strange concept and I'm not sure if I have done it correctly.

"Do you know where we're going?" Christina asks.

I can see that Beatrice is thinking about something as her eyes scan the carriage. "A fast train means wind," she says. "Wind means falling out. We need to get down."

We sit down and inch ourselves back until we are leaning against a wall.

"I guess we're going to Dauntless headquarters," says Beatrice. "But I don't know where that is."

"Does anyone?" Christina says. We are all shaking our heads. "It's like they just popped out of a hole in the ground or something."

As we are sitting in the train car I feel a gush of wind burst through the carriage and I watch as the other faction transfers topple over onto one another. I can't help but laugh as I watch Peter now have to disentangle himself from the others. I see Christina laughing and Beatrice has a smile on her face. I don't think I've openly laughed like that ever, not that anyone can hear me with the noises of the train so loud.

I sit here in silence and I start to worry about what I have done again. Have I made the right choice? I have Beatrice and I hope I have made a friend in this Christina girl. But at the same time I am thinking of Caleb and what must he be doing at this time. I know I have to stop thinking this way. He is a part of my past now and I have the chance to start over.

I still can't believe that he led me on. I wonder if he always knew that he was going to Erudite. Was I just a play thing for him? The thought makes me feel sick to my stomach and I wonder if I am ever going to be able to stop my thoughts from being overrun with Caleb.

"They're jumping off!" someone shouts.

I am shaken from my thoughts of Caleb with this news. I only just got onto this train. How am I going to be able to jump off? I stand and go and have a look out of the door. I can see we are seven stories up and people in the carriages in front are leaping off onto a building. What? Wait, they expect us to jump onto a building. What have I got myself into? What if I don't make it? Would I rather be factionless or sprayed against the ground seven floors below?

Neither option is appealing. I have worked with the factionless and I would hate to have to stand there and beg my mother for food. I couldn't imagine the looks I would get from her and the other Abnegation as I held my hand out for food. I will just have to jump, hope that by some miracle I don't land on the ground that is so far below.

I can hear the people around me, I think they are discussing what would happen if you don't jump but I'm not taking any notice. I am too lost in my own morbid thoughts of what may happen. It is only when I feel Christina shake my shoulder that I look up. I see a look of terror on her face.

"Here," she says and I must look at her confused as is Beatrice. "I just . . . can't do it unless someone drags me."

I don't think I am the right choice to drag her I am hardly able to drag myself of this train. "Hold on to Beatrice," I tell her.

"Susan you jump first and then Christina and I will be right behind you," Beatrice says. I nod my head and I leap. For a brief moment I feel like I am flying and then I am brought back to reality as my legs land hard on the rooftop and the momentum carries me forward and I roll across the roof a couple times before stopping.

I look around to see that Beatrice and Christina have landed almost identically to how I have and I am so relieved that they have made it as well. Christina jumps up quickly and announces, "That was fun." I can't help but let a small giggle out remembering the look of terror she had before she jumped.

Beatrice gets up and comes over and helps me to my feet as we stand there brushing the gravel and dust from our clothing. Then I hear a wail. I turn and see a Dauntless girl standing at the edge of the roof screaming.

We three walk over and look over the edge. I gasp as I see a body on the pavement below us. I feel Beatrice pull me away from the edge and I am happy to follow her. Hoping that is the last time I have to see something like that. Seeing her arms and legs bent at awkward angles, angles that the body was never meant to be seen in has sent a realisation through me that I hadn't thought of before. What if I don't survive this place? I don't think I really thought this whole idea of coming to Dauntless through properly. Well I know I didn't but now it is all becoming a harsh reality. One that is hurting more than landing on a roof after jumping from a train.

"Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of your leaders of your new faction!" shouts a man at the other end of the roof. He is older than the others, with deep creases in his dark skin and gray hair at his temples. He is standing on the ledge like it is a sidewalk. "Several stories below us is the members' entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."

"You want us to jump of a ledge?" asks an Erudite girl. It is exactly what I am thinking.

"Yes," Max says. He looks amused. I'm not finding this amusing.

"Is there water at the bottom or something?"

"Who knows?" He raised his eyebrows.

Could it really be that bad? Obviously it would have to have happened in the past. But then what if this was a new way into Dauntless. What if no one has ever done this before? Will we be willingly jumping to our deaths? Will we all soon be looking like that poor girl who didn't make the jump only a few minutes ago. I wish I could stop all these thoughts whirling around in my brain.

The crowd in front of us splits in half, making a wide path for us. I look around. No one is looking eager to be first. Then I see movement next to me. I turn my head to see Beatrice walking toward the ledge. She walks up to the ledge and she looks down. I watch as she fumbles to unbutton her shirt and take it off. I watch as she takes in a deep breath and then she is gone. She has disappeared into the unknown of the Dauntless compound. I decide that I need to get this over with as quickly as possible so I start to make my way towards the ledge, ready to follow in Beatrice's footsteps.

Max holds up a hand signalling for me to wait. I stand there waiting, I don't know how long it is, I'm sure time is moving quicker than I would like. The waiting is filling me with dread, I now need this to be over as quickly as possible or I may not be able to do it. Then I hear Max's voice, "Your turn."

I look up at him and he nods. I get onto the ledge and I do just as Beatrice did. I take a deep breath and just jump.


	3. Chapter 3

**WELCOME TO DAUNTLESS**

 **FOUR POV**

Choosing Day. More importantly it's Tris's Choosing Day. I walk into the dining hall with excitement in my stomach. I find Zeke and Shauna sitting at our usual table and I sit down across from them. They seem to be in an argument over something, not sure what, so I decide not to say anything and just eat. No use getting in the middle of one of their arguments, I learnt that the hard way. They will fight over the most mundane trivial matter ask you your opinion and then just when you think they will break up they have made up and you are the bad guy. I think they fight just so they can make up. I don't understand them or relationships at all.

Watching them together just makes me realise what I miss. Tris. Not the fighting part but the having someone there for you part. I have missed her. I still remember the last words she spoke to me two years ago and I just hope I heard her right. I wasn't exactly coherent when she spoke and now I am like a bundle of nervous energy waiting to explode. Three hours in the gym last night has not helped to calm me down.

"Four," says Zeke.

I look up from my plate to see both Zeke and Shauna staring at me.

"Huh," I say.

"Man I have been calling your name for the last five minutes. What is wrong with you?" Zeke says.

"Nothing, just thinking," I say. I'm trying to keep my voice level and monotone. I don't want Zeke and Shauna analysing my feelings this morning.

"Are you sure?" Shauna asks.

"Yes," I say.

"We were just talking about initiation," Zeke says.

"What about it?" I ask.

"Do you think Uriah and Lynn will pick Dauntless?" Zeke asks. "I'm starting to worry that they will decide to change factions today."

"Have you seen Lynn's haircut?" I ask. Lynn had her hair buzz cut yesterday. "What faction is she going to go to other than Dauntless with that?"

"She could change her mind at the last minute?" Shauna says.

"Shauna she is your sister, shouldn't you know the answer to this question better than anyone else?" I ask.

"I don't know Four. Choosing Day is overwhelming what if she makes some crazy decision?" Shauna says.

"What? Like choosing Dauntless," I say. I'm trying to make a joke of it. Calm them both down. I can't see Uriah or Lynn leaving they are just to Dauntless, especially Lynn. Uriah maybe but I couldn't imagine him leaving Zeke or his mum. Lucky for me they both find my comment funny enough that they laugh.

"Are you going to the ceremony?" Zeke asks.

I shake my head. There is no way I would be seen at any event that Marcus will be at. "No I have to be here with Lauren to pull the initiates out of the net," I say.

"Are you taking transfers or Dauntless-born this year?" Shauna says.

"Lauren gets the Dauntless-born," I say.

"What if you get someone like Eric?" Shauna says.

"There is always someone like Eric Shauna. Lucky for me I only have to put up with them while initiation is on and then I can let them loose in Dauntless to terrorise everyone else," I say. Unfortunately Eric is overseeing training this year. Which means I will have to put up with him for at least the first stage of training. The thought makes me sick.

"Are you coming to the net?" I ask.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see how Uriah reacts to having to jump in the net. I bet he screams like a girl," Zeke says.

"He could always trip on the ledge," I say with a grin. Remembering how Zeke jumped of the roof.

"Hey at least I was first jumper," he says. He likes to rub that in, especially because I was the last jumper.

I get up to go. I have a lot to do before the initiates arrive.

"Four," Shauna says. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine Shauna. Just a lot on my mind," I say. And with that I walk out of the dining hall.

* * *

I check my watch. The first initiate should be jumping any minute. I am bouncing on the balls of my toes, the nervous energy is pulsing through me as I wait, hoping to see her again.

I look over to see Lauren playing with one of the rings in her eyebrow. She looks almost bored. I try to crane my neck to see the top of the building from the ground, but all I can see is sky.

"Bet you it's one of my Dauntless-borns," She says.

"It's always a Dauntless-born. No bet," I say.

I don't really care who jumps first as long as she jumps. What if she doesn't jump? What if she isn't standing on that roof right now? What will that mean? It means I may just have to take my mother up on her ridiculous offer and leave this place, become factionless.

Then I see her.

Not a black streak like I was expecting, but gray, tumbling through the air. I hear a small sigh come from my lips and with it I can feel my shoulders and neck muscles relax just a bit. I hear a snap of the net pulling taught around the metal supports, and it shifts to cradle her. For a second I stare, not believing what I am seeing. She is really here. Then I put my hand out, into the net, so she can reach it.

She wraps her fingers around mine and I feel the familiar jolt of electricity that comes from contact from her and I realise just how much I have missed her. I pull her across and I whisper, "Just go along with it, I will explain later." I pull her over the side and I grab her arm to steady her. I can see the smile on her face her eyes are wide and bright blue.

"Thank you," she says.

"Can't believe it," Lauren says. "A Stiff, the first to jump? Unheard of."

"There's a reason why she left them, Lauren," I say.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Um . . ." she says. She hesitates and I know it is because she thinks I am asking her the most stupid question in the world. I know her name and of course she knows that. Just play along I am pleading with my eyes. It is dangerous here and I can't have people knowing about us, it will put her life in danger especially during initiation.

"Think about it," I say, smiling a little. Trying to reassure her it is okay and that I will explain all of this later. "You don't get to pick again."

"Tris," she says.

"Tris," Lauren says. "Make the announcement Four."

"First jumper-Tris!" I announce over my shoulder to the crowd of Dauntless members who have gathered to watch the initiates jump.

I touch a hand to Tris's back to guide her toward the stairs. Before she takes the first step I smile and say, "Welcome to Dauntless."

I turn back to the net and think I must be dreaming. Another gray blur has just landed in the net.

"Did they send the wrong initiates here?" asks Lauren. I look over to her and just shrug. I hope not.

I help the other Abnegation transfer out of the net and I must have a look of shock on my face. I'm surprised to see Susan Black looking back at me. I am wondering why she chose Dauntless she was always the epitome of Abnegation. She looks scared out of her wits and I have to wonder if that is from the jump or is there more to it.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Suzy," she says. She is looking closely at me and I am hoping she hasn't realised who I am. I help her down from the platform and she walks over and stands with Tris.

"Isn't that-," she starts to say to Tris. She knows who I am. But she doesn't get the chance to finish. I can't see what Tris has done to cut off her words as my focus is trying to get the next jumper out of the net, a Candor girl.

 **TRIS POV**

I nudge Susan, or should I now say Suzy in the ribs with my elbows. I'm not sure what is going on but Tobias seems to have changed his name too. Just like Susan and I have just done. Obviously people know him as Four here and I'm sure he will explain it to me later. At least I hope so. I was so nervous to see him again. It wasn't that I didn't want to come to Dauntless anyway but after two years apart I didn't know what to expect, I still don't. But I do know that the spark that was there before is still there and I felt it like a jolt of electricity waking me up out of hibernation.

Once all the initiates are standing on solid ground again, Lauren and Four lead us down a narrow tunnel. The walls are made of stone, and the ceiling slopes, so I feel like I am descending deep into the heart of the earth. I think Christina was right, the Dauntless just pop out of a hole in the ground. The tunnel is lit at long intervals.

"This is where we divide," Lauren says. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me, I assume you don't need a tour of the place."

I watch as the Dauntless-born initiates follow Lauren and dissolve into the shadows of the Dauntless compound. I look around to see that there are ten initiates left. Susan and I are from Abnegation, then there are five from Candor including Christina and three from Erudite, there are no Amity transfers, well there was one but he decided to stay on the train. So now he is just factionless.

"Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor," Tobias says. "My name is Four."

Susan looks at me and I just raise my eyebrow and shrug, no I don't know what is going on I am trying to tell her.

"Four? Like the number?" Christina asks.

"Yes," he says. "Is there a problem?"

"No."

"Good. We're about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn to love. It—"

Christina snickers. "The Pit? Clever name."

Tobias walks up to Christina and leans his face close to hers. His eyes narrow, and for a second he just stares at her.

"What's your name?" he asks quietly.

"Christina," she squeaks.

"Well. Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction," he says. "The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"

She nods.

Tobias starts toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moves on in silence.

"What a jerk," she mumbles.

"I guess he doesn't like to be laughed at," I reply. I feel like I don't know him at all. This is not the Tobias I last saw two years ago. I'm not sure if I like Four but I need to try not to judge until I get the chance to talk to him.

Four pushes a set of double doors open and we walk into the place he called "the Pit."

"Oh," whispers Christina. "I get it."

"Pit" is the best word for it. It is an underground cavern so huge I can't see the other end of it from where I stand, at the bottom. Uneven rock walls rise several stories above my head. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities. Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connect them. There are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side.

"If you follow me," says Four, "I'll show you the chasm.

He waves us forward. We are now in a better lit area of Dauntless and I am able to take in Four's appearance. He has grown taller in the two years since I last saw him; he now towers over my small frame. He still has his hair cut in the same Abnegation style that he always did but his physique has changed dramatically. He isn't the boy he was, I can see muscles bulging from under his T-shirt, not bulking but well chiselled and proportionate to his slender frame. I can feel myself blushing as I am checking him out. I can see a tattoo peeking out from the collar of his T-shirt and I am curious to know what it is.

I am taken from my observations and thoughts of Four when I hear a roar of water, fast moving water crashing against rocks. I look over the side of a railing and I see that the floor drops off at a sharp angle, and several stories below us is a river. Gushing water strikes the wall beneath me and sprays upward. To my left, the water is calmer, but to my right, it is white, battling with rock.

"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouts. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned."

"This is incredible," says Susan, as we all move away from the railing.

"Incredible is the word," I say, nodding.

Four leads the group of initiates across the Pit toward a gaping hole in the wall. The room beyond is well-lit enough that I can see where we're going: a dining hall full of people and clattering silverware. When we walk in, the Dauntless inside stand. They applaud. They stamp their feet. They shout. The noise surrounds me and fills me. Christina and Susan are both smiling and I can't help but smile with them.

We look for empty seats. Christina and I discover a mostly empty table at the side of the room, and I find myself sitting between her and Four. Susan is sitting across from me. In the centre of the table is a platter of food I don't recognize: circular pieces of meat wedged between round bread slices. I pinch one between my fingers, unsure what to make of it.

Four nudges me with his elbow.

"It's beef," he says. "Put this on it." He passes me a small bowl full of red sauce and lets our hands brush a little longer than what would be socially acceptable. I see Susan look at me with a raised eyebrow.


	4. Chapter 4

**JOB OFFERS**

 **ERIC POV**

I walk into the dining hall and a hush falls over the room. I am starting to hate that I have this affect on people. I can feel the stares without even looking. I slowly search the room until I see the person I am looking for. Four. He is sitting with a bunch of transfer initiates. Looking at the initiates with such hope in their eyes is a sickening sight to me. If only they knew what was really going on.

I reach my destination and I take the seat next to Four. There is no greeting between us, just a loathing that has simmered since we both transferred two years ago.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" I ask, nodding my head towards the initiates.

"This is Tris, Christina and Suzy," Four says.

"Two Stiffs. Who would have thought that the Abnegation population in Dauntless could triple in a few short hours," I say. "We'll see how long you both last."

I look at Tris and Suzy and I can already see Tris eyeing me suspiciously. Smart girl I think to myself. I tap my fingers on the table.

"What have you been doing lately, Four?" I ask.

Four lifts a shoulder. "Nothing really," he says.

"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up," I say. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you."

Four looks at me carefully and then says, "Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold."

"So he wants to give you a job," I say. I need to drag this out before I hit him with my bombshell. I know he isn't going to be happy with me. If I'm lucky he will keep his composure, if I'm not I could end up in the infirmary.

"So it would seem," Four says.

"And you aren't interested."

"I haven't been interested for two years," he says.

"Well it's time you did get interested Four," I say with authority. "I have accepted Max's offer on your behalf."

His head spins quickly back to me and I can see the hate he has for me in his eyes. "You have to be joking right now Eric," he says.

"No, not joking here Four. I told Max you will be happy to accept his offer," I say.

"I will go to Max right now and explain there has been a break down in your communication skills Eric," he says as he starts to rise from the table.

"Sit down," I say forcefully as I put a hand on his shoulder to keep him in place. "I can't talk to you about this here."

I look over to see Suzy staring at me. I look at the blond in her Abnegation clothes and a picture of her dressed in Dauntless black flashes through my mind and almost brings a smile to my face. She is looking so intently at me; I have to look away before she burns holes into my irises. It is like she can see straight through me. I feel a shiver run through me.

"I don't have anything to say to you about this Eric. I'm not doing it," he says through clenched teeth.

"Look I will make you a deal. You take the rest of the day off. I'll take the initiates to the dorms and give them the rest of the tour. Then I will meet you at your place and explain everything," I say.

He is shaking his head but I know he can't turn this down. I know he is wanting to know what it going on. He can't help himself. This way he can stop snooping around looking for answers. I rise from my seat and start to walk off then I turn and with a smile say, "I'll even bring the beers."

* * *

I am standing outside the door to the dormitory. It is time to deliver the news about rankings and cuts. I like to be able to see the reactions of the initiates when I deliver this news. You can get a good indication of who deserves to be here and who would be better of factionless.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," I say. "I am one of five leaders of the Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training."

I look around at the initiates faces and they look nervous. I look at Tris and she looks nauseous. Has Four already turned her against me or is she just really perceptive. The other Abnegation girl is staring at me. I don't know what it is but every time she looks at me I feel naked.

"Some ground rules," I say. "You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation."

I stop and make sure that it looks like they are listening. There is always at least one initiate who can't follow the schedule. It looks as though they realise what is going on so instead of repeating myself I continue.

"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," I tell them. There will be someone who will break this rule. There always is. "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks."

"In the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your ranking will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you are already. So I expect—"

" _Rankings?"_ an Erudite girl asks. "Why are we ranked?"

I smile, mainly just to intimidate them. "Your rankings serve two purposes," I say. "The first is that is determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions available."

"The second purpose," I say. This is where I need to observe the reactions of the ten initiates before me. "Is that only the top ten initiates are made members."

The Candor girl standing with Tris and Suzy says, _"What?"_

"There are eleven Dauntless-borns, and ten of you," I say. "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage one. The remainder will be cut after the final test."

I can see the shock in their eyes. Suzy and Christina are looking between each other but Tris is just staring at me. She might not look like much but I can see the steely resolve behind those eyes. She will probably make it with that attitude. Suzy though is a worry. She looks like she is going to break down at any moment.

"What do we do if we're cut?" Peter asks.

"You leave the Dauntless compound and live factionless," I say indifferently.

The Erudite girl clamps a hand over her mouth and stifles a sob. Suzy is staring at me, once I said the word factionless her body language changed. She stood straighter held her head up. This might just be the motivation she needs to make it here. She is afraid to live factionless, understandable coming from Abnegation; she would have had a lot of contact with them.

"But that's . . . not fair!" the larger Candor girl, I think her name is Molly, says. "If we had known—"

She is not going to make it. I can see that already. One Candor and one Erudite will be gone. I can see that with their attitudes they will not make it. If have to want this if you don't want it enough you will never get through it.

"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" I snap. "Because it that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward."

I push the door to the dormitory open.

"You chose us," I say. "Now we have to choose you."

I watch as the initiates file into the room. I know that in a few weeks they all could be gone to the factionless or they could be all members. I doubt that they will be all members. I can already see a few who won't make it. Then there will be the ones who just can't cope with the physical side of it. Then once we start dealing with their fears, well that is where most start to crumble. There are only a small few both Dauntless-born and transfers that can cope well with this part of training.

When Max proposed cuts for initiates I was shocked. But I needed to impress him so I went along with it. I have spent the last two years here following orders from two different faction leaders and it needs to stop. I need to stop this path I am on. Unfortunately the only person that can help me is the person I hate most in Dauntless. Four. I am just closing the door to the dormitory when I see him walking towards me.

 **FOUR POV**

I get back to my room and I can't keep still. I just keep pacing my living room. What the hell is Eric up to? I need to see Tris. I can't just wait until training tomorrow; I need to see her now. These last two years without her have been miserable. I am glad I no longer have to be near Marcus but I haven't been living. I've been existing. Waiting, hoping that I heard her right that night and that we'd be together. Now she is here but she feels like she is still so far away.

I stop pacing the room and grab my keys and walk out the door. Eric can wait I need to go and see Tris. I need her to know I care and that I want us to be together. It just can't be until initiation is over. I have to make sure she gets through initiation.

I get to the dormitory door and I see Eric walking out. He must have just finished the end of the tour with the initiates. Now they will know that they aren't all going to make it. I'm glad he told them. I was not looking forward to the looks on their faces when they found out this information.

"What are you doing here Four?" Eric asks.

"I just came to check that the initiates were settling in all right," I say.

"All of the initiates Four? Or just a certain one?"

"I don't know what you mean Eric," I say.

"Don't play dumb. I saw you playing footsies under the table with her," he says. I know he means Tris. Knowing Eric he isn't saying her name because she's from Abnegation and he hates anyone from Abnegation, especially me.

"Her name is Tris Eric," I say, "I don't think it's any of your business."

"She is an initiate Four. Remember that. She might not be here in a couple of weeks; she doesn't look like she will make it past day one. I'm going to get the beer, so don't take too long. I will meet you at your place."

"Fine," I say. Thinking she will be here in a couple of weeks. She will become a member. I push the door to the dormitory open and walk in.

I walk in and see Tris sitting on a bed talking to that Candor girl Christina and Susan. I walk over to them and I say, "Tris I need to talk to you."

Christina and Susan, I really need to start thinking of her as Suzy, look at me and then back at Tris and to me again. I know Suzy knows who I am but Christina doesn't. Christina while looking intimidated by me also looks shocked that I am singling out Tris.

Tris gives them both a look that I think means it is okay and then she follows me out the door. We walk down the corridors until I find an area where I know there are no cameras and I also know people walking past won't see us. I just stand here looking at her. So glad that she is here but so afraid for her and what she will need to do in the next few weeks to become a Dauntless member.

"Tobias are you okay?" she asks. At the sound of the name I haven't used in two years I am brought back to reality. I pull her towards me and engulf her in a hug. I hear a sigh come from her lips as she wraps her arms around my waist. I pull away just enough so that I can see her face.

"I'm so glad you are here Tris," I say. "I just can't believe it's really you."

"I promised I would come Tobias," she says.

"I know. But I was so out of it that night and I always wondered if I heard you correctly or if I heard only what I wanted to hear," I say.

"So Four?" she asks. I know it is a question.

"I wanted to sever all ties to him. So when I got here my trainer Amar gave me the name Four."

"Is there a one, two and three here too?" she asks with a grin on her face. I know she is only teasing me. I'm just glad no one else can hear us.

"Ohhh you are funny Beatrice Prior," I say pulling her close to me again. I can't help but chuckle a little. Only Tris could ever tease me and get away with it. "No it is the number of fears I have. It is a Dauntless record."

"Tris initiation is going to be hard," I say. She nods. "No I mean really hard. You are going to be pushed to breaking point. Eric is helping to train and he is ruthless."

"What is his deal?"

I start to shake my head. "I don't know. To say we hate each other would be an understatement. But now he wants me to take this leadership job. I just don't know. I don't understand what is going on with him at all."

"Is that the job he was talking about at dinner? You seemed really angry with him."

"When I finished initiation I was offered a job in leadership and I turned it down. From what he was telling me he has now accepted that job for me. So I don't know what he is up to but hopefully I will find out tonight."

"What is Susan doing here?" I ask.

"I'm not sure. I don't think she knows either. Susan and Caleb have been flirting with each other for the last year. We all thought they would stay in Abnegation and get married but Caleb transferred to Erudite and –"

"Wait. Caleb transferred to Erudite? How is that possible he was so Abnegation," I say.

"I know. I had no idea and neither did Susan. So Susan told me that she knew her brother Robert was going to transfer to Amity and then Caleb transferred to Erudite and then I transferred here so she decided that she would follow me. She told me that she couldn't live with people looking at her with pity in their eyes. So she thought that her best chance was to come to Dauntless because they help protect people and she would feel like she is still helping people here."

I can understand that she wouldn't want people to look at her with pity. It is exactly how I feel about people knowing about Marcus and what he did to me. But I have no idea how I am going to be able to get her through initiation. Tris has a fire in her that will help her to succeed but with Susan I'm not sure how I am going to be able to help her.

"Tobias what are we? I mean what is this? I don't know if I'm saying this correctly," Tris says.

"Tris you are my best friend. I can't explain how much I have missed you and hoped that I would see you again. But-," I say

"But," Tris says and sighs. "But I need to get through initiation. You are my instructor and have had a completely different life for the last two years. Plus I see the way the girls here look at you," she says. I can hear the disappointment in her voice.

"Tris," I say. I pull away from her just enough so I can put my hand on her chin and make her look me in the eyes. "Tris there has been no other girl, none. I'm not interested in any one but you. I know we need to get to know each other again. I get that. But there has never been and will never be anyone but you, I promise." God this is so hard. I just want to take her back to my apartment and talk, not have to hide and be able to catch up after losing two years because of my transferring to Dauntless. I lean down and give Tris a kiss on her forehead and we just stay like this until we are interrupted by Eric.

"Okay love birds I think it's time Tris got back to the dormitory," Eric says.

"I will see you tomorrow," I say. Reluctantly letting go of Tris. "We are going to have to act like we don't know each other around the other initiates. I don't want them to think you are being favoured, it will cause you too much trouble."

Tris nods her head and says, "Good night Four, Eric." And then starts to walk towards the dormitory. Leaving me in the hallway with Eric and a case of beer. This should be fun I think sarcastically to myself.


	5. Chapter 5

**CONFESSIONS**

 **ERIC POV**

We walk into Four's apartment and I can feel the tension radiating between us. I know he is pissed at me about the job offer. He is probably even more pissed that I took him away from Tris. I will have to find out about those two. They weren't acting very Abnegation which surprised me. I put the beer on the coffee table and sit on Four's couch. Four is standing in the middle of the room looking like he is going to lunge at me any second.

"Eric why are you here? And why have you accepted a job offer for me?" Four asks.

"Want a beer?" I ask. I pull a beer out and hand it to Four.

"Just get to the point Eric," Four says. I take a swig of my beer. I can see it is annoying Four. I just can't seem to help myself when it comes to annoying him. If I want his help I am really going to have to tone it down.

"Spill it Eric," Four says. I can hear the agitation in his voice.

"There are things happening here that are out of control. I know you know Four. I know you have been watching but haven't worked it all out yet. And I need your help to stop it."

"Eric get to the point. None of this roundabout bullshit," Four says.

"Jeanine Matthews along with Erudite are going to overthrow Abnegation and use Dauntless to do it," I say. I've said it. I have finally said it aloud. I know Four is going to look at me with complete disgust. Probably not that different than the way the whole compound looks at me anyway.

"WHAT!" Four yells.

"Calm down," I say.

"How the hell do you expect me to calm down? You have just told me that Dauntless are going to be used by Erudite to overthrow Abnegation. What part should I calm down over Eric?" Four says.

"As if you care what happens to your father Four," I say.

"Marcus is one person Eric. What about everyone else in Abnegation? He might deserve it but the rest don't," he says.

"That is why I am here. That is why you need to take Max up on his offer. I can't do this alone Four. I need your help," I say. I am desperate and I know if Four doesn't help me I am fucked.

Four is now pacing the room. He is like a caged wild animal and I can see he is ready to strike at me at any minute. He occasionally takes a sip from his beer but only a sip.

"How?" Four asks.

"What?" I ask.

"How is Jeanine going to get Dauntless to do this?" he asks.

"She is going to put Dauntless under a simulation, she is going to control Dauntless," I say.

Four is still pacing the room. He is just shaking his head and pacing.

"But not everyone," Four says. He stops and turns to me. "Simulations don't work on everybody."

"That is another thing," I say. "Jeanine thought this would be a good way to weed out any Divergent people because they won't be under the simulation."

"Why now Eric? Why come to me now? You have been hunting Divergent ever since you got here. Even when you were an initiate you were hunting them," Four says.

"It's not what you think Four," I say.

"Are you kidding me? You had Amar killed and who knows how many others," Four says.

I shake my head. "No I haven't Four," I say.

"Yes you have. I saw you. Jeanine said she had someone tell her about problems with my fear simulation. You heard Amar and me talking and then he ended up dead," Four says.

"He isn't dead," I say.

"What do you mean he isn't dead? They found his body. How can he be alive?"

"It was staged. I have had some help with this," I say.

"Who?" Tris asks.

"That would be your future mother in-law," I say.

"Mother in-law?" he asks.

"Natalie Prior," I say.

"Natalie Prior?" He asks. I nod my head. "Bullshit, why would Natalie Prior be involved in all of this. You are just making this up because of Tris and me." Four starts his pacing again and still shaking his head. He stops and takes a large mouthful of his beer. "No. No don't you dare bring Tris into this Eric. You can lie all you like to me but do not bring Tris into this," Four says.

"I'm not lying. Ask her yourself. I am sure she will be here Visiting Day. Ask her what she knows. I don't know where Amar is but he isn't dead. I can promise you that," I say.

"If you are lying I swear to God I will kill you myself," Four says pointing his finger at me as he still paces the room.

"Why? Why now have you decided to stop this?" Four asks. "I mean you have been a complete dick to everyone. Nobody likes you and now you decide to do something about it."

"It's not that simple," I say.

"Well make it simple. Explain to me why I should believe you and not think that it is some sort of trap," Four says.

"You have no idea what I have been through Four. This hasn't been easy on me," I say.

"Enlighten me then Eric," Four says with sarcasm dripping from his lips. "You need to tell me exactly what is going on with you. I'm not going to put up with crap."

"You don't know how hard this has been. You don't know what I have been through," I say.

"Well start fucking talking," Four says with anger in his voice.

"Do you know what happened when you out ranked me Four?" I ask.

He shakes his head. He has a look of confusion on his face.

"Jeanine had my father killed," I say.

"What?" Four asks. His mouth is open; I can see I have his attention now.

"I always wanted to be Dauntless; as far back as I can remember I wanted to be Dauntless. When I had my aptitude test do you know what my result was?" Four is shaking his head.

"It was inconclusive," I say.

"Divergent?" Four asks.

"Yes just like you are Four. Just like your little girlfriend is," I say. Four has stopped pacing.

"Tris is Divergent?" he asks. I nod my head. He doesn't look shocked; it is almost like he knew it was going to be that way.

"Of all the aptitude tests that are entered manually only one percent are actually from a system error. Jeanine knows this. She came to see me the night before the Choosing Ceremony. She told me I was to come to Dauntless and that I was to rank first. She would then make sure to get me into leadership."

"So that is when she had my father killed. That fucked up bitch killed my dad. Unlike you Tobias I love my parents and she had him killed. Now she is threatening my mother. If this plan doesn't work she is going to kill my mother and I can't do anything about it. I've had enough. She is going to keep finding ways to hurt me, to blackmail me and I can't do it anymore."

"I want my life back. I want to be able to have a life. This isn't a life that I have now. I can't have a relationship. I can't have friends. I know that most people hate me. I need to bring this bitch down and I can't do it by myself. Natalie has been helping me ever since she administered my aptitude test but now. . .now it is out of control. I need to save my mum and I don't know how to get her out of Erudite without Jeanine finding her. I can't bring her here. I don't know what the fuck to do. And I don't want the blood of all those people on my hands. I could save the ones that were Divergent but I can't stop the bloodshed that will happen if this plan goes ahead."

"Take her to Abnegation," Four says.

"What?" I ask.

"Take her to Abnegation. Nobody is going to be looking for her there. It would be the last place that Jeanine would even think to look. Or Amity," he says.

"Amity, I don't think so Four. With all that peace and happiness crap. Abnegation could work. Mum would be pissed but at least she would be alive."

"So we need to find a way for your mum to leave Erudite without Jeanine finding out. And don't you ever call me Tobias again you fucker. No one and I mean no one but Tris can call me that," Four says.

"Fine Four. But how am I going to get my mother out of Erudite? I am sure Jeanine will have someone watching her," I say.

"No idea. We are going to have to think about this," Four says. "I think we should leave it here for tonight. There is a lot to think about. How long until this is all going to happen?"

"Day after initiation is finished," I say.

"So we have a few weeks to work this all out," Four says.

"Yes. But you need to talk to Max now. He is expecting you to see him tomorrow," I say.

"Fine. Tell him to come find me. I have initiates to train. Plus you better keep acting like an asshole to everyone, we don't want people to think there is something wrong with you," Four says.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask.

"What?"

"What's Suzy's deal? Do you know why she picked Dauntless?" I ask.

"Why would you care about something like that?" he asks. Then he looks at me and says, "You like her?" He starts to laugh at me. I don't think I've ever seen him laugh like this. Probably because I keep away from him as much as possible.

I can feel myself blushing. Shit I never blush. This is really embarrassing. I just sort of nod but then shake my head. I don't know what to say. Four is still laughing at me.

He stops laughing and he turns all serious and says, "Stay away from her Eric. She is a good girl; she doesn't need you to taint her."

"Are you serious? I might be a lot of things Four but I would not do anything to hurt her," I say. "I was just wondering what her story is that's all. No need to get all tied up in knots about it."

"Just be careful Eric. She is from Abnegation and the rules there are very different to Dauntless. She needs time to adjust. I have no idea how I'm going to get her through initiation. Tris she is different, she has a fire in her but Susan she has always been so Abnegation."

"So why would she leave? And why would she come here of all places?" I ask.

"Tris told me that Suzy and her brother Caleb had been flirting with each other for the last year. Suzy thought that once they went through initiation together that they would start courting. That's what they do in Abnegation. There is no touching, it is all very different from Dauntless. So when they got to the Choosing Ceremony Caleb transferred to Erudite."

"So Suzy knew her brother Robert was going to transfer to Amity and then Caleb transferred to Erudite and then Tris transferred here so she decided that she would follow Tris. She told Tris that she couldn't live with people looking at her with pity in their eyes. So she thought that her best chance was to come to Dauntless because we help protect people and she would feel like she is still helping people here."

"Fuck! How the hell am I going to get her through training? This is not good Four. She is so delicate. You know when she looks at me it is like she is looking straight through me. It is like she knows all my secrets. I've never had anyone look at me like that, it is unnerving but I like it," I say.

"Eric you need to be careful. Suzy isn't in a good place; I don't think she understands exactly what she has signed up for. You need to back off; she doesn't need you trying to get in her pants. It will freak her out," Four says.

"I am not trying to 'get in her pants' as you say. I'm not like that. Just because everyone thinks I'm an asshole doesn't mean I am. I just want to get to know her, I don't know, I've never been in a situation like this."

Four is just shaking his head. "If you upset her there will be hell to pay Eric. I mean it, you need to be very careful with what you do," Four says.

"I will. But I would like to get to know her better. And what type of fucker would do that to her? Tris's brother must be a first class bastard to treat a girl like that," I say. I don't know what it is about her but I want to get to know her better. Tris and Four don't seem to have any problem touching each other so hopefully Suzy will become more Dauntless as initiation goes on. But I have to remember she has a broken heart too. I hate to say it but Four is right; I do need to be careful.

* * *

 _Hi everyone. Story is plotted out but I just need to start writing it. Hopefully I will have something by the weekend for you. Sorry for not giving you my usual daily updates. Should be back on track soon. Hope you are enjoying the story - don't forget to review, follow or make it a favourite ;)_


	6. Chapter 6

**INITIATION BEGINS**

 **FOUR POV**

"The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight," I say to the ten initiates standing in front of me. I pass the guns out as I am speaking. "Thankfully, if you are here, you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so I don't need to teach you that."

"Initiation is divided into three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time."

"We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear. Therefore each stage of initiation is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is primarily physical; the second, primarily emotional; the third, primarily mental."

"But what . . ." Peter yawns through his words. "What does firing a gun have to do with . . . bravery?"

I flip the gun that is in my hand and I press it to Peter's forehead, and I clip the bullet into place. Peter freezes. Good I have his attention.

"Wake up," I snap. "You are holding a loaded gun you idiot. Act like it."

I lower the gun and I see Peter's eyes harden. This is someone I know I'm not going to like anytime soon. He reminds me of Eric but unlike Eric I don't think he has an excuse for his behaviour.

"And to answer your question . . . you are less likely to soil your pants and cry for your mother if you're prepared to defend yourself."

"This is also information you may need later in stage one. So, watch me," I say.

 **SUZY POV**

I am standing here in the training room waiting for Four to hand me a gun. I watch as Tris is handed hers and I can see she doesn't look comfortable with it in her hands. If she is feeling uncomfortable how am I going to feel? The gun is placed in my hands and I can now understand why she feels uncomfortable. It is cold and metallic, it reminds me that if I am not careful I could end up cold from a bullet. Dead cold. I understand why we need to know how to use a gun but it still goes against everything I have ever been taught.

I need to start thinking differently. As I watch Four aim and fire his weapon with pin point accuracy it makes me realise that only two years ago he was standing right where I am today. We were given the same teachings raised in the same faction. He has been able to assimilate to his new surroundings and from what I can see he has done it well. I need to remember that and try as hard as possible to fit in.

We all pick a target and start shooting. To say it was difficult is an understatement. I watch as Tris is failing miserably to hit her target. I have at least hit my target. Nowhere near where I wanted it to but still I will take anything at the moment.

By the time we are ready to break for lunch both Tris and I have hit the middle of the target and we are smiling as we leave the room. "How much do your arms ache?" I ask.

"They are so sore and my fingers feel stiff," Tris says. "But it was really exciting to finally hit the middle of that damn target."

I nod my head and laugh a little. "I think we made the right choice Tris," I say, linking my arm with hers as we head into the dining hall.

"I agree Suzy," Tris says. I can see the light in her eyes. Tris was made for Dauntless, I only hope that I can do enough to stay, I'm not sure I am strong enough for initiation or Dauntless. The only thing I am sure of is that I'm glad I chose to follow Tris and not her brother. At least here I have a chance for a new life. I shudder when I think of what it would be like to be in Erudite right now.

"So Four?" I ask. We haven't had any time just the two of to talk since Tris left the dormitory with Four last night. It feels so strange calling him Four. Tris and I have both shortened our name but to change his name to a number just baffles me.

Tris looks around to see if anyone is near us before she speaks. "Just like we have Suzy he changed his name. No one here knows his real name and he would like to keep it that way."

I nod to show her I understand what she is saying. It makes me wonder if the reports that Erudite have been saying are true. I'm sure Tris knows the truth but I would never ask her or Four such a personal question. Everyone deserves their secrets, even me.

We are just about to reach the dining hall when we are stopped by Eric. "Ladies," he says. I can't help but smile when I see him. I know everyone thinks of him as some scary Dauntless leader but I feel there is more to him. There is something hidden, I can see it in his eyes. "So how was training this morning? I'm sure neither of you ever thought you would be holding a gun," he says.

Tris just stares at him, I can't read her expression properly but I can see that she is being very cautious around him. "It was fun," I say.

"Good to hear, well I won't keep you. You will both need to keep your strength up with what you will be doing this afternoon," he says as he walks past us and into the dining hall.

"He seems nice," I say.

"I'm not sure Suzy. There is something about him that worries me," Tris says.

"I think there is more to him than he lets us see. But I don't think you should be worried Tris," I say.

"You like him," Tris says.

I turn bright red as I start to blush. We never talked to anyone about our feelings in Abnegation. I am feeling really embarrassed that Tris has worked this out so quickly. After the embarrassment of Caleb leaving me I didn't think I would want to care for anyone else for a long time.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone. Just be careful Suzy I don't want to see you hurt again. I don't think Dauntless boys are going to be anything like Abnegation boys." Look how well it turned out for me with an Abnegation boy I think to myself. Maybe a Dauntless boy is exactly what I need.

I nod my head as we walk into the dining table and we go and sit with Christina, Will and Al. It is strange to have friends like this. At home I had Tris and Caleb plus my brother Robert but we weren't allowed to be friends like we are here. It is so nice to be able to sit at a table and talk and laugh with people. I am loving the interaction even if I am only sitting and listening, I'm not really sure of how to talk to so many people at once, it still intimidates me a little.

* * *

After lunch Four leads us to a new room. The room is extremely large with a wood floor that reminds me of what history this room probably has. The stories it could tell of past initiates and their battles to become Dauntless. That we are just a small dot in the history of this place and that within weeks our sweat will be spilled into the wood and ingrained forever as part of that history. It makes me feel like I need to do well, that I don't want the room to remember me as a failure.

We walk over to where there are large black punching bags hanging from the ceiling. We all line up behind them and Four stands in the middle where we can all see him.

"As I said this morning," says Four, "next you will learn to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges-which you will need, if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless."

"We will go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other," Four says. "So I recommend that you pay attention. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt."

The thought of fighting someone terrifies me. I don't know how I am going to survive here. I enjoyed shooting the guns and I wasn't half bad at it. But the thought of having to go up against some of the boys in this class makes me think I could be dead before the end of stage one.

Four starts to demonstrate different punches and kicks. I have to concentrate really hard to make sure I am going to remember all that he is teaching us. We each stand before a punching bag and start to practice what he has shown us.

Four wanders through the initiates pointing out flaws in their techniques and giving them pointers to help them improve. When he gets to Tris you can see that he is like a moth to a flame. It wouldn't matter what she is doing he is going to touch that flame and I can see him burning alive. I have to suppress a giggle, to me they are so cute to watch. I don't think they even understand the chemistry they have.

I can see him giving her some advice and then he touches his hand to her stomach, she looks as though she has stopped breathing from his touch. Christina who is on the other side of Tris looks like her eyes are going to bug out of her head. She doesn't know their history and I don't think Tris will be sharing that information with anyone to soon, so to Christina he is an instructor and I know she is completely scared to death of him. She almost looks horrified at what is going on.

Just as Four goes to move over towards me the training room doors open and Eric and Max walk in. Four walks towards the two men and they all begin to chat. Four and Max go to walk out of the room leaving us with Eric. Just as he reaches the door Four calls to Eric, "I was just about to help Suzy with her punches, maybe you could start by helping her."

I try to keep calm but at the same time I am trying to punch the punching bag. Really not easy to look calm while you are punching a bag and for the first time in my life be sweating all over the place. Eric walks over and I can feel him staring at me. I know I am blushing but I am hoping he will just think that my face is red from the exhaustion.

He steps closer to me and he says, "you would be better off using your knees and elbows. You can put more power behind it." The exact same words that I heard Four say to Tris only a few minutes ago. "Here let me show you," he says.

I stop punching the bag and Eric moves closer and starts to hit then kick the bag. "You have a go," he says. I start to try to so the exact moves that Eric has shown me. I don't have the confidence that he has, I can tell that he works out a lot just by how big he is. After I have thrown a few punches and tried to knee the bag he comes and stands directly behind me.

I can feel the heat of his body and it excites and scares me all at once. "I know where you are from it isn't customary to be touched so don't freak out. I am going to show you how to move properly so try to concentrate," he says.

I can only nod my head. Eric moves so that my back is touching his chest and he puts his arm over mine and starts to move are bodies toward the punching bag. I understand now why he said try and concentrate. It isn't easy trying to concentrate with him pushed up against my body. I know I shouldn't be enjoying this, that I should be completely horrified but I'm not. I like the closeness of Eric. He goes through all the moves that both he and Four have shown us and then he moves away to let me do it.

Once he is satisfied that I have grasped the moves he moves down the row giving advice to others but never getting as close to them as he did to me. When he reaches Peter he is standing watching him when Peter says, "Aren't you going to help me like you did the stiff?"

"I didn't know you wanted me to be that close to you Peter?" he says.

"Well why should she get special treatment and not the rest of us?" Peter says.

"You want special treatment do you Peter?" Eric says. I can see that Eric is not happy with the taunting from Peter. Most people have stopped punching their bags to watch the interaction between the two. You would think getting a loaded gun pointed at your head would be enough to shut Peter up for the day but it doesn't seem to have had any effect on him. I can't believe the arrogance of him.

Peter nods his head to Eric. It happens in an instant, Peter is standing talking with Eric and then Eric's fist has connected with Peters' jaw and he is now lying unconscious on the floor. "Get this piece of trash to the infirmary," Eric says. "I think you have all learned enough for today so go on get out."

Drew and Molly start to drag Peter our of the room and everyone starts to file out behind them. I walk up to Eric who hasn't moved since he hit Peter. His hands are still clenched into fists so I walk up to him, I touch his arm and I say, "Are you okay?"

I see his fist unclench and he turns and gives me a small smile. "I shouldn't have done that," he says.

"Four had to put a loaded gun to Peters' head this morning, so he hasn't learnt to keep his mouth shut even after that," I say.

Eric starts to laugh. "Well I'm glad I'm not the only one that finds him annoying," he says.

I have to laugh too. I don't think there is anyone in our initiation class that doesn't find Peter annoying. I still have my hand on Eric's arm, he moves his other hand and places it on my hand.

"Suzy the fights are going to be extremely tough. You are going to need to fight hard, I know coming from Abnegation you are going to want to help others but for the next few weeks you are going to have channel to that energy into helping yourself. You need to get through initiation so that you can help others otherwise you will be factionless. Do you understand?"

"I do and I will try," I say.

"Good, I'd really like to see you become a member," he says. With that he walks out of the room leaving me standing there. I don't really understand what has just happened but I do know that I am going to do everything I can to become a Dauntless member.


	7. Chapter 7

**MAX**

 **FOUR POV**

I have just finished helping Tris with her punches and kicks. I am trying to quiet the internal battle going on in my head about Tris. I can't help but touch her. Every chance I get I am drawn to her like a magnet. I know I need to stay away from her, I need to let her get through initiation and then we can be together. But just because I know what I should be doing my body seems to have other ideas. As I move past Tris towards Suzy the training room doors open and Eric and Max walk in.

I start to walk over towards them. I hate Eric for the position he has put me in but at the same time I now have a better understanding of him after last night's confessions. At least now I am going to have a chance to stop the Erudite attack on Abnegation. I just wish I knew how I could change Max's mind about it.

"Afternoon Four," Max says.

"Max, Eric," I say.

"Eric is going to take over this afternoon's training so we can have a chat in my office," Max says.

I nod my head and start to walk toward the training room doors with Max. Just as I reach the door I call to Eric, "I was just about to help Suzy with her punches, maybe you could start by helping her." I know this will make his day. I don't know why I'm trying to help him with Suzy. I can't imagine the two of them together. Maybe it's to alleviate the guilt I feel for touching Tris when I promised myself I would stay away. I don't know I just hope I'm not putting Suzy in a position she doesn't want to be in. After the way that Caleb treated her she deserves so much better. I just don't know if Eric is capable of it

* * *

We get up to Max's office and we both sit down. I don't really know what to expect here but I know I am nervous to find out his reasoning behind what is happening.

"Eric tells me you are ready to accept my job proposal," Max says. I just nod my head.

"Well it's about bloody time. Carmen is about to retire this week so we need you to step up into the position as soon as stage one of training is finished," Max says. "I know Eric has told you a bit about what is about to go down here Four. I need your full support on this."

"I am happy to take the position Max," I say. It is making me nauseous just being in the same room as this man. To think he is willing to turn his members into mindless murderers without an ounce of guilt.

"Good Four I am glad," he says. "Now I need you to keep training the initiates as usual. Eric will be with you for the rest of stage one and for now he is still in charge. Then once you have been named as the new leader you will run stage two by yourself. You understand we need to look out for anyone who may be divergent. We can't have them messing up our plans."

"I understand Max. But I do have a few questions," I say.

"Of course you do, well let's have them," he says.

"Why?" I ask.

"What do you mean Four," he says.

"Why do you want to become Jeanine's lap dog?" I ask. Probably a bit too direct but I need to get to the bottom of all of this and I don't have much time before it is going to happen. I need to try and find a way to convince Max that he is doing the wrong thing.

"Well I wouldn't put it like that. We are trying to help to make our society better Four. Abnegation are not fit to rule this city. You of all people should know that better than anyone else. After the troubles you have had with your father. Won't you be glad to see him overthrown?"

"My father is one person Max. And while I don't think of him as my father anymore I don't understand how murdering the whole of Abnegation and putting our members under mind control is going to help our city."

"I can understand your apprehension Four. I had those thoughts at first as well. But Jeanine is very persuasive and she is promising Dauntless a seat in the new government," he says.

"One seat? Is that all you are getting? What will happen when the Dauntless members are taken out of the simulation Max? How do you think they are going to react to what you have let Jeanine do to them? Do you really think they are going to be happy with this? Or are you going to keep them in the simulation forever, if that is even possible?" I ask.

"Four you have a lot of questions. I don't have answers for most of these questions at this stage. I thought you would be happy to be rid of your father for good. Maybe I was wrong? We need to get this city out of the control of Abnegation. The factionless are becoming stronger and this is because of Abnegation giving them more than the factions are getting. You should be aware more than anyone of what the factionless are capable of," he says.

So he know it is my mother who is running the factionless. Great this is turning into one big mess with both my estranged parents at the front of the line. "I have only seen my mother once in the last nine years, I don't have any plans to see her again. Nor do I have any plans to have to deal with my father again. I am true to my faction Max. The questions I am asking are not about trying to save them, it is about saving my fellow Dauntless. I need to know that they aren't going to turn on Dauntless once they know what they have been tricked into," I say.

"That is not something that we have thought of Four," Max says.

"Maybe before this goes any further you need to think of these things Max. If Abnegation are gone and the factionless aren't getting hand outs from them what do you think they are going to do? There are a lot of factionless Max, if our members turn against us and we have the factionless against us, how long do you think we will survive? Jeanine can't control everyone even though she is arrogant enough to think she can. I will do whatever you need me to do but I am asking you to rethink our involvement in this," I say. I won't be doing what he wants me to do unless it is to stop this from happening. But I need him to think I am, it is the only way we can get the information we need to stop this. I also need him to rethink his position in this. I don't think he has thought any of this through properly. I am sure Jeanine has completely manipulated him, she is smart and knows how to get her own way. Max probably hasn't thought past getting Dauntless into the simulation. He can't possibly thing our members would be okay with what he is proposing.

We are interrupted from our discussion with Eric standing in the door way. He actually looks a little frazzled which is not something you see from Eric.

"Who is with the initiates?" I ask.

"I let them leave early," Eric says.

"Why?" I ask.

"I had a little incident with Peter, so I thought it was best to give the other initiates an early mark," he says.

"What sort of incident?" Max asks.

"I knocked him out," Eric says.

I start to laugh. I can't help myself, I thought I had problems with him. Obviously not, Eric seems to have had a worst day.

"Don't you laugh," Eric says. "From what I heard you held a loaded gun at his head this morning."

I'm laughing even more now and Max has joined in. "Well he deserved it," I say.

"Yeah well he is lucky I only knocked him out. He is going to be more trouble than he is worth that one," he says.

"Yeah well we are stuck with him for now, hopefully he fails and we can kick him out," I say.

"Well I think that is enough for one day," Max says. I know this is our cue to leave so I walk out with Eric.

* * *

I am about to walk into my apartment when I am stopped by Zeke. "Hey man what is going on?" he asks.

"Not much. Why?" I ask.

"I saw Eric going into your apartment last night with beer. Since when have you two become pals?" he asks.

"We aren't pals Zeke. We are working on something together and he decided he would bring beer while we worked," I say.

"What the fuck man! Are you crazy?"

"Look I have to work with him I can't get on his bad side at the moment," I tell Zeke.

"Oh okay. I was frightened you had turned to the dark side Four," he says.

"No I'm just monitoring it from close range Zeke," I say. "You know I don't trust Eric. Well we are going to be working closely together and I need to be able to keep an eye on him."

"Okay, I can understand that. You going to dinner soon?"

"Yeah I was just going to grab a shower and then head down there," I say. Thankfully Zeke doesn't want details. That's the great thing about Zeke, he will take you at your word.

"I'll see you down there then," he says and he walks towards his own apartment.


	8. Chapter 8

**TATTOOS, FRIENDS & FIGHTS **

**SUZY POV**

After training Christina drags Tris and me shopping. Do I like shopping? Not really but Tris hated it. I like to be out of the dull gray clothes that we have always worn but I'm not yet completely comfortable with the tight fitting clothes of Dauntless. I like the choices and variety of clothing on offer. I'm sure I will get used to all the differences that we now have her in Dauntless compared to Abnegation.

I love that I get to just hang out with friends. In Abnegation we always had to be so formal with each other. Here I get to laugh and act like I am sixteen. After shopping we meet Will and Al at the tattoo shop. Al wanted to get a tattoo to feel more Dauntless. I don't think it will work for him; we all have to hear him cry every night. I haven't shed any tears over leaving my family. Even if I had stayed Robert wouldn't have been there and I know that my parents supported his decision to leave and I am sure they would have supported mine as well. So as much as I miss my family I am more upset about what happened with Caleb. I have shed tears over Caleb, then I just get angry with myself because I know he doesn't deserve my tears.

So now I am standing in the middle of a Dauntless tattoo shop. Everyone else has either gotten a tattoo or is in the middle of getting one. I am not ready for a tattoo but I have decided to get my ears pierced. I think that is about as Dauntless as I can get in this department right now. I think I would like to get a tattoo one day but I'm not ready yet.

* * *

Fights are starting this morning. We walk into the training room and see Four stepping away from the board with our names on it. I look across and I think my breakfast is about to come back up. I have to fight Tris. I can't believe that I have to fight my friend first. I then look at the other names and see that they have paired everyone similarly. Al and Will are friends, same with Drew and Peter, then you have Edward and Myra they are a couple and have to fight, the only pair that aren't friends but are from the same faction is Christina and Molly.

Will and Al are up first. They step into the arena and it begins. I don't like that I have to watch my friends fighting each other. I like even less that I am going to have to fight Tris. I can hear Christina talking to Tris about Molly, Peter and Drew. I can hear but I'm not really listening. I am concentrating on the fight, I may not want to watch this but I also need to watch so I can learn more.

 **ERIC POV**

Not much has been happening with the fight and I am agitated. I shout at Will and Al, "Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for naptime? Fight each other?"

"But . . ." Al says, "Is it scored or something" When does the fight end?"

"It ends when one of you is unable to continue," I say.

"According to Dauntless rules," Four says, "one of you could also concede."

I turn my head so I am looking directly at Four. "According to the old rules," I say. "In the new rules, no one concedes."

"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others," four replies.

"A brave man never surrenders," I say.

Four then hisses to me in a whisper so the initiates can't hear, "What is wrong with you? This is ridiculous."

"You told me to keep acting like I usually do. Well this was the rule that I was going to introduce this year. Max knows that I am introducing it, if I change now he will know."

"You want to stand here over the coming days and watch Suzy get beaten to a pulp?" he asks. He knows where to hit me without taking a swing. No I don't want to stand here and watch that but I have to keep up this charade. At least until they make Four a leader, then I can let him dictate the rules. But until then I have to act like the asshole I have always been.

"You know I don't. But I can't back down either," I say. I turn away from Four and see that the two in the ring are still just standing there. I yell at the top of my voice, "FIGHT!" and then I walk away from Four. I don't need any more of his guilt trip, it was his bloody idea that I keep acting like my asshole self.

I walk around the ring; to everyone it looks like I am watching the fight but I'm not. I am angry. Angry at Four, angry at myself. I wish he hadn't brought up Suzy, no I don't want to watch her fight but I also know I have too. Now I'm angry at Suzy as well, why did she have to come to Dauntless? I could have just kept acting like a prick until stage one was over and then I wouldn't have to be around the initiates any more. I just keep walking until I hear a thud and turn to see that Will has been knocked out.

"Get him up," I say. I watch as Al tries to pick him up and Four goes and circles Al's name on the chalkboard. Four goes over to where Al is trying to pick Will up and Four grabs Will and supports him by the waist and leads him out of the room.

"Next up-Molly and Christina!" I shout. I look over and I can see Tris looking nervous as she watches Four leave the room. Even though I have been nice to Tris I can see that she is still wary of me. Smart girl I think. Hopefully this means that I am doing a good job of acting. I am not looking forward to her and Suzy's fight. This fight with the two girls from Candor, I don't really care what happens. The sooner we knock out their Candor ways the better.

I watch as Molly and Christina enter the ring. Suzy is standing with Tris and Al; she has her arm linked with Tris's. This makes me cringe; they will have to fight in a few minutes and to see them supporting each other while their friend is in the ring hurts. It hurts because I am going to have to watch them hurt each other and I don't want to see that. Don't they realise they should be as far from one another at the moment? Supporting each other like they are will only make it harder.

The fight has been going for a while now. I'm still watching the two Abnegation girls when I hear Christina. "Stop!" she calls out as Molly pulls her foot back to kick again. She holds out a hand. "Stop! I'm . . ." She coughs. "I'm done."

I walk over to the centre of the ring as slowly as I can. I am trying to make each movement as deliberate and strong as I can. I stand over Christina with my arms folded. I think part of me is trying to prolong the time before I have to watch Suzy fight. I say quietly, "I'm sorry, what did you say? You're done?"

Christina pushes herself to her knees. I can't have initiates going against my rules, I will not tolerate it. I'm already in a bad mood after my words with Four.

"Get up," I say, again quietly. I grab Christina's arm and I yank her to her feet dragging her out the door.

"Follow me," I call to the other initiates. Then I drag Christina toward the railing where I know the water from the river below will affect her the most.

I shove Christina against the rail. I know that most of why I am doing this is because I am angry at myself. But I need the initiates to learn that they can't give up. They need to keep fighting, just like I am against Jeanine. I need them strong. Stronger than I have been in the past.

"Climb over it," I say.

"What?" she says. I see her eyes widen as she realises what I have told her to do.

"Climb over the railing," I say. "If you can hang over the chasm for five minutes, I will forget your cowardice. If you can't, I will not allow you to continue initiation."

I can see she is thinking about this and that is what worries me. If she was truly Dauntless she would have just accepted her fate and done it. "Fine," she finally says. I can hear the fear in her voice.

She swings her leg over the railing. She wipes her hands on her pants and holds the railing as she takes her feet off the ledge. Every ounce of my brain is screaming that I shouldn't be doing this, but I am. I stand with a blank expression on my face; I can't let anyone know what I am really feeling. For the first minute and a half Christina is doing well. But then the water in the chasm hits the wall and white water sprays against Christina's back. Her face strikes the barrier, and she cries out. Her hands slip so she is just holding on by her fingertips. I know I need to watch carefully now, I can't have her falling to her death, I couldn't live with that.

I hear her sob as another spray of water hits her body. That water would be freezing cold. I can't believe she hasn't conceded yet. Maybe she is stronger than I thought.

"What is going on?" Four asks. He looks down to see Christina hanging from the railing.

"She conceded. I am teaching her a lesson," I say.

"You have taken this too far Eric," he says as he walks over to Christina and lifts her over the railing.

"Get back to the training room," he says to the initiates. They are standing there stunned. Tris has gone over and hugged Christina. "Now!" he yells. The initiates start to move.

"I will discuss this with you when I get back," he says facing me. He then guides Christina away with Tris helping.

I am still standing here and I look to see that Suzy hasn't left.

"Why did you do that?" she asks.

"She was told the rules. I needed to make an example of her," I say.

"An example, really? That is, I don't know what it is but . . ." she says. She thinks for a few seconds then she says, "people told me to be wary of you but I wanted to ignore them and make up my own mind. But you are proving them right."

With that she starts to walk off. "Suzy," I call out but she keeps walking. I run to catch up and I grab her arm and turn her to face me. "You're not wrong Suzy," I say.

"Then why? Why do you act like you do?" she asks.

I sigh and then say, "I can't explain it."

"Well when you can explain it then come find me," she says and she walks off again.

I can't explain it to her. Not yet. I don't even know where to start and I can't talk about it here in the middle of the pit. I just stand here watching her walk away feeling totally defeated. I am brought out of myself imposed pity party by Four grabbing my arm.

"Are you completely insane?" he asks.

"No."

"Then tell me why you are acting like a bigger dick than usual. I told you to keep acting the way you normally would but today's stunts are over the top even by your standards," he says.

"I was angry with myself after what you said to me in the training room. I suppose I took it out on Christina," I say.

"You suppose! Eric I'm not going to watch as you make training into a blood bath," he says.

"Well what are you going to do Four? I'm in charge, what I say goes," I tell him. I know he is right but I can't back down. He may be helping me but that doesn't mean I will back down from him. Especially over this.

"Fine," he says. "If you want your training methods used than I will fight you. Winner gets to decide how the fights are managed."

"You can't be serious," I say.

"I am deadly serious Eric. I'm not going to watch training made into your personal blood bath. This way you have an excuse for changing your methods. But if you do this you need to remember that when you lose to me you are going to lose the respect of every initiate in there," he says pointing towards the training room doors.

I would love nothing better than to fight Four. But I also know that he is right, I am more likely to lose to him than win. Then I will have to deal with the fall out and it won't just be the initiates who will lose respect for me. There is too much riding on this and I can't afford to lose.

"Okay you win. But I'm not telling the initiates that they can concede. You or I can stop a fight when we see that there is a clear winner," I say. Hoping he will go for my compromise.

"I can agree to that," he says and he walks back into the training room.


	9. Chapter 9

**SHE IS THE STRONG ONE**

 **TRIS POV**

Tonight I went to bed early. It had been a crazy day and I was exhausted. Having to fight my friend was the hardest thing I have had to do since I got to Dauntless. I dream about Christina hanging from the railing. She is hanging by her toes and someone shouts that only someone who is Divergent can help her. I run forward to pull her up, but someone shoves me over the edge, and I wake before I hit the rocks.

Sweat-soaked and shaky from the dream, I walk to the girl's bathroom to shower and change. I think back to what really happened with Christina after Tobias rescued her from Eric. Tobias and I took her back to the dorm and he told her to go take a shower. She was soaked with the cold water from the chasm. He told her to rest up and that she was excused from training for the rest of the day.

We walked out of the dormitory together. It is the first time I have been alone with him since that first day in Dauntless. I have really missed him. "I promise I will do everything I can so that the fights aren't as brutal," he told me. I was so relieved when he said that. I don't know what he said to Eric but the fights were stopped by either him or Eric for the rest of the afternoon. I was grateful for it. "I wish we could have more time together," he said as he held my hand. We were in public and neither of us can afford for anyone to see us as more than a trainer and initiate. I can't wait for initiation to be over and then we can be together. I have missed him so much. It was bad enough with the two years we were apart but I think being this close but having to be so far away at the same time is harder than it was when I couldn't see him.

I beat Suzy in our fight but just barely. I don't know what happened between her and Eric after I left but she was angry, I could see it in her eyes. It is probably the only reason I won the fight. If she wasn't so angry I'm sure she would have been able to concentrate harder and not let her guard down. But it was like everything she had learnt went out the window and she wasn't thinking straight. When she did hit me it was extreme force but she kept letting her guard down and eventually I was able to beat her.

I walk back to my bunk and find the word "Stiff" is spray-painted across my mattress in red. The word is written smaller along the bed frame and again on my pillow. I look around, my heart pounding with anger. I also see that the same has been done to Suzy's bed.

Peter stands behind me, whistling as he fluffs his pillow. It's hard to believe I could hate someone who looks so kind-his eyebrows turn upward naturally, and he has a wide, white smile.

"Nice decorations," he says.

"Did I do something to you that I'm unaware of?" I demand. I grab the corner of a sheet and yank it away from the mattress. "I don't know if you've notice, but we are in the same faction now."

"I don't know what you're referring to," he says. Then he glances at me, "And you and I will never be in the same faction."

I shake my head as I remove my pillowcase from the pillow. _Don't get angry_. He wants to get a rise out of me; he won't. But every time he fluffs his pillow, I think about punching him in the gut.

Al and Suzy walk in and they see what is on both Suzy and my beds. I hear a gasp come from Suzy's mouth. I don't know why he is picking on either of us but especially Suzy. She is the nicest person you will ever meet. Al starts to help without either Suzy or myself asking him. Suzy goes to get more bed lined for us while I finish stripping her bed. Al carries the stack of sheets to the trash can while Suzy and I remake our beds.

 **FOUR POV**

I walk into the training room and see that Eric is writing the names on the board for the fights. As he finishes I glance over to see that Tris is having to fight Peter. I know why he is doing this; he is trying to get back at me for yesterday. Eric might want to change what is going to happen with Erudite but he is still holding resentment that I am a better fighter than he is.

I understand that what happened when we were initiates had his father murdered but it's time for him to let go of his anger towards me. Neither one of us had control of what happened back then and he needs to let go of these petty jealousies or it could end up killing his mother as well.

"Really?" I ask. Knowing he will know exactly what I am talking about.

"She needs to learn and you know you can always stop the fight before she becomes too injured," he says.

"Yeah and I can see that you are doing exactly the same for Suzy," I say sarcastically. He has paired Suzy with Myra, she will win that easily. Myra is going to fail training it is easy to see. I just wonder what Edward will do when she is told to leave.

"Four she will have to have tough fights too. I'm not playing favourites it is just the way it worked out," he says.

I know Tris has to come across stronger fighters but I don't like it. I just hope she doesn't hate me when she sees the match ups for today. Eric was right; at least I can stop the fight. I just have to make sure that I don't stop it too early and show my favouritism towards her. I don't even know how I am going to be able to watch this fight.

I'm broken from my thoughts with the initiates starting to file into the room. I see a smile on Peter's face as he looks at the board, I would like nothing more that to go over there and wipe it off his face. Tris walks in and when she sees the board she stops in the middle of a step. I shake my head trying to let her know that I didn't plan this. I see a small nod or that is what I am hoping I saw and that she is understanding that this isn't my fault.

I see Tris start to talk with Suzy, Al and Christina. I'm glad she is making friends and that she has Suzy but I also feel jealous when I see that she is getting to spend time with them and not me. It also concerns me the way Al looks at her, I know she doesn't reciprocate but it is still hard to watch.

Molly and Edward's fight is over quickly. Thankfully Eric stepped in before too much damage was done to Molly. I have sent Molly to the infirmary to be checked out. Now it is Tris and Peter's turn. I can already feel the knot in my stomach and the fight hasn't even started yet.

I am standing next to Eric with my arms crossed across my chest. I need to try and keep my Four face on and stay calm as I watch what is about to unfold. I can hear Peter taunting her and it makes me want to step in and give him a beat down. Peter has put himself into a fighting stance as he still continues to taunt Tris.

I see Tris try to kick Peter in the side but he has caught her foot and yanked it forward, knocking her off-balance. Her back smacks into the floor but she quickly scrambles to her feet.

"Stop playing with her," Eric snaps. "I don't have all day."

I turn and stare Eric down and he quietly says to me, "the quicker it is over the better. You know that even if you won't admit it to me."

I don't answer him I just turn back to watch as Peter has hit Tris in the head. Again she is off-balance and I don't think this is going to last much longer. Peter is quick and he then kicks her hard in the stomach. She looks like she is having trouble breathing and I release my arms from their crossed position ready to call the fight but before I can Eric has put a hand on my shoulder.

"Not yet, it will look to obvious if you stop it now," he says. I know he is right but it doesn't stop the bile from rising into my mouth. Next he grabs her hair and punches her in the nose. He then shoves her and she falls to the ground. I can see that she is trying to get up. She is a fighter I will give her that but I know that if I don't stop this now Peter will just keep inflicting more damage to her and he won't stop until she is unconscious. I am about to say stop when Eric calls out, "Enough!"

I walk over to Tris and pick her up off the mat. She has a bloody face, I'm sure her nose is broken and she can't hold herself up. I put my arm around her and take her to the infirmary.

* * *

I am in the waiting room while they check Tris out. I asked them to put her in a private room at least if she is in there I can talk to her without prying eyes. The nurse comes out and guides me to her room.

I walk into her room and see that she has been cleaned up and is sporting to black eyes and a bruised jaw. She turns and smiles when she sees me. I don't know how she can muster a smile with what she has just been through. I take the chair that is in the corner of the room and I move it over next to her bed and sit down.

"Hi," I say. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got beat up by Peter," she says.

"I'm sorry Tris," I say.

"What? No Tobias this isn't your fault," she says.

"If we had stayed in Abnegation you wouldn't have to be going through this," I say.

"No," she says forcefully. "don't you ever say that. Don't even think it. I only have to get through a couple of days of fights; it is nothing to what you had to go through for all those years with Marcus. We both know that he would never have left you alone if we had stayed. This is nothing, I'll be fine," she says.

I wish I had the strength that she has. I take her hand in mine and I kiss her hand and I lay my head on the bed next to her leg. I feel her running her fingers through my hair and it reminds me of the nights she would stay with me until I fell asleep after Marcus had beaten me. It was the way she always comforted me. The worst part about it is, is that I should be the one comforting her not the other way round. But I don't want to lift my head I have missed this more than I was ever willing to admit.

"Tobias it is all going to work out. You need to stop worrying so much. As long as I can pass initiation and not get cut it will be okay." I don't dare tell her what is happening with Erudite and Abnegation. I need her to keep this positive attitude to get her through the coming days of training.

I lift my head off the bed and smile at her. She gives me a smile back. "I don't know how long until your friends will be here to see how you are," I say. Then I stand up and lean over and give her a quick kiss. I don't want to do more than that because I can see how bruised her face is. I sit back down, knowing I should be walking out of the room before her friends do get here.

There will be too many questions from them if I am still here. "I really should go Tris," I say.

"I understand. I miss you," she says.

"I miss you too," I say and with that I get up and give her a hug and a kiss on top of her head and I leave. Feeling like crap because she is the strong one, she is the one getting us both through her initiation. I don't deserve her but I can't ever let her go either.


	10. Chapter 10

**FIELD TRIP**

 **SUZY POV**

I walk out of the bathroom to find Christina trying to wake Tris. She must have snuck back into the dormitory last night. I thought she would have stayed in the infirmary but obviously she didn't want to give Peter the satisfaction.

I walk over to Tris who is given a hand from Christina to help her get up. We need to be at the train tracks by eight fifteen and it is already eight.

"I'll run and get us some breakfast. You let Suzy help you get ready we don't have much time," Christina tells Tris.

Tris makes a grunting noise and I can see she is trying not to bend. "Let me help you," I say.

"Thanks," Tris says. I get her some clean clothes out from the drawer under her bed and let her dress herself. Once she has clean clothes on she is trying to reach foe her shoes but she really can't bend enough. I grab her shoes and put them on as Christina walks back in holding muffins.

If there is one thing I truly love about Dauntless it is the food. Every day is excitement for my taste buds. After sixteen years of bland plain food it has been an awakening for me to taste the richness of the Dauntless food. With all the training we have been through I think I would have passed out if I'd had to eat Abnegation food here. Instead we are able to keep our energy levels up with what is on offer here.

Christina places the muffins on the bed and bends down to do up Tris's shoe lace and I bend and tie the other one. Once we have Tris dressed I pull her up from her sitting position and Christina passes the muffins around.

We have to rush to get to the train, I can see Tris is struggling but she doesn't complain. I wish I felt as strong as Tris is. I am grateful that Eric and Four are stopping the fights before we are knocked out but it still bothered me that Four didn't stop the fight earlier. I saw Eric stop him but still I don't understand the dynamic between the two trainers. I should really ask Tris about it, I'm sure she would know.

"What took you so long," Will is shouting at us as the train horn is blaring. We have only just made it here in time.

"Stumpy legs over here turned into an old lady overnight," Christina says.

"Oh shut up," Tris responds. I can see the pain on her face and I know that jumping on a train is probably the last thing she should be doing today.

As we start to jog alongside the train I see Al grab Tris under her arms and pull her into the carriage. I quickly jump on after. I love the feeling of jumping on and off the train now. I never thought I would be able to do such a thing, but now although I'm still a bit unsteady with it I couldn't imagine not being able to do it. It gives me a sense of freedom that I have never felt before.

"Feeling okay there?" Peter asks Tris. "Or are you a little . . . Stiff?"

He bursts into laughter with Molly and Drew joining in. He makes me sick. I would love to go over there and punch him in the face. I know it isn't the time or the place and that I would probably end up a lot worse off but he makes me so angry. The hate he has for both Tris and I but mostly for Tris is sickening and it makes me wonder why he is so cruel.

"We are all awed by your incredible wit," Will says.

"Yeah, are you sure you don't belong with the Erudite, Peter?" Christina adds. "I hear they don't object to sissies."

Four speaks up before Peter can say anything back. "Am I going to have to listen to your bickering all the way to the fence?"

This shuts everyone up. Four stands in the opening of the train car. I can see Tris sneaking glances at Four. Checking him out, I don't blame her really. Her boyfriends body is a lot different to the way it looked in Abnegation. Not that you could tell with that horrible baggy gray clothing we used to have to wear. Now every muscle is defined and with the tight shirts he seems to always wear it is only fitting for his girlfriend to want to check him out.

I feel a little jealous. Not of Tris having Four but that she changed factions to be with the person she loves. Where I have changed factions because of the hurt mine gave me. I just hope that one day someone will look at me the way Four looks at Tris.

* * *

The train comes to a stop under an awning and I can see Tris is grateful that she doesn't have to jump off a moving train. Once off the train I see a chain-like fence with barbed wire strung along the top. The fence seems endless.

"Follow me," Four says.

Four leads us toward the gate and I start to wonder how Robert is fairing in Amity. I can hear Four explaining job options but I'm not taking any notice. I am excited to think that I am so near my brother, I hope that he is enjoying his new faction as much as I am.

We stop next to the gate. A few Dauntless guards glance in our direction but not many. They are too busy pulling the doors to admit a truck.

"Susan," I hear the familiar tone of my brother's voice calling to me and I can't help but smile. I didn't think it would be possible to see him so soon. He jumps down from the truck and comes and gives me a hug.

"What are you doing here?"Robert asks. "How are you? How is Dauntless?"All these questions and he isn't giving me time to answer.

"Robert it is so good to see you," I say. "I'm good, Dauntless is good. How about you, are you enjoying Amity?"

"I'm loving it here I am so glad that I transferred but I miss you," he says. "Beatrice, how are you?" He gives Tris a big hug and I can see that she is not comfortable with Roberts' affection. I try not to giggle; I can see Robert totally belongs with Amity. It makes me wonder how oppressed he must have felt being in Abnegation.

"Hi Robert, I'm good," Tris says.

"Beatrice?" Molly demands standing next to Tris. She has folded her arms and is laughing. "Is that your real name, Stiff?"

I watch Tris glance at her. I am sure she would like to hit Molly right now. "What do you think Tris was short for?" Tris says.

"Oh, I don't know . . . weakling?"Says Molly. She really is just a female version of Peter. They are both mean and think they are better than the rest of us. I really hope that they fail initiation and become factionless. "Oh wait, that doesn't start with Tris. My mistake." Molly says.

"There's no need to antagonize her," Robert says softly. "I'm Robert, and you are?"

"Someone who doesn't care what your name is," Molly says. "Why don't you get back in your truck? We're not supposed to fraternize with other faction members."

"Why don't you get away from us?" Tris snaps at Molly.

"Right. Wouldn't want to get between you and your boyfriend," Molly says smiling as she walks away.

"They don't seem like nice people. How can you stand being around them?" Robert asks.

"Not everyone is like her," I say.

"You could both go home you know. I'm sure Abnegation would make an exception," Robert says.

"Why would we want to do that Robert? Why? Do you want to go back?"I ask.

"Of course not. But look at Beatrice she is black and blue and Susan you don't look much better," he says. "I only want to see you both happy."

"What makes you think we aren't happy Robert?" Tris asks.

"Well by the look of you both. And I know Susan only followed you because of Caleb," Robert says.

"Robert I may have transferred for that reason but I am really glad that I did. I love Dauntless, initiation might be tough but I have made friends, I got my ears pierced, it may not seem like it to you but I am happy," I say.

"I have to go," Robert says. He gives me another hug and says, "I'm really glad you are happy Susan." I give him a smile as I watch him jump back into the truck.

I am so glad that I got to see my brother. I can tell just by looking at him that he made the right choice. He seems like he is loving his choice too.

I am broken from my thought with Four standing between Tris and me with a hand on each of our shoulders. I am sure he has only placed his hand on my shoulder so it doesn't look suspicious that he is touching Tris.

"You two need to be careful with whom you talk too?" he says. "There are people watching and you don't want to draw attention to yourselves."

"But it was my brother Four. I would never be able to just ignore him," I say.

"I understand Suzy. You just need to be careful," he says.

"How are you feeling Tris?" Four asks. I don't wait to hear her response. I walk ahead of them and give them some time to themselves. I go and stand with Will and Christina as we wait for the next train to arrive.

* * *

We get back to the compound and we have the rest of the day to ourselves. I know Tris has disappeared somewhere with Four. I am sure there is something going on between Christina and Will and I don't really want to hang out with them. That leaves Al; I certainly don't want to hang out with him for the afternoon. I know he has a crush on Tris and I don't feel like having to listen to him talk about her all afternoon.

I decide I need to find a way to break away from him before he tries to get me to hang out for the afternoon. We have just walked into the compound and so I decide to make a dash for it.

"Hey where are you going?" Al calls out to me.

"I have somewhere to be," I call back as I quickly turn down a corridor I have never been down before. I'm not watching where I am going and I go splat straight into a wall. The only thing is, is that when I look up it isn't a wall it is Eric.

"What are you doing Suzy?" he asks.

"I um, well I," I say. I think he will think I'm a complete crazy person when I tell him what I am doing. "I was trying to get away from Al."

"Was he trying to hurt you?" Eric asks. He looks concerned.

"Oh no, it's just, well we just got back from our field trip from the fence and Tris went off to do something and well Christina and Will . . . well I think they like each other so I didn't want to hang with them. So that just left Al. And well he has a thing for Tris and I didn't want to have to hear him prattle on about her all afternoon when I know that she doesn't feel the same for him. That meant I needed to find a way to get away from him and so I quickly dashed down this corridor and BAM I bumped straight into you," I say. I don't know if he has got half of what I have said because I am really nervous around him and have said the words so quickly.

Eric starts to laugh. "I can understand how you got here now," he says. "But wouldn't it be more Dauntless to just tell him you didn't want to hang out?"

"Well it may be more Dauntless but would it have served any purpose other than being cruel," I say. "I don't think being cruel is very Dauntless."

"No that would have been cruel. So what where you planning to do for the rest of the afternoon?" he asks.

"I don't really know. I am new to having time to myself so I hadn't really thought about what I wanted to do," I say.

"Well I was just about to escape for a while would you like to join me?" he says.

"Okay," I say. I'm hesitant to join him but I would really like to get to know him better.

"Come on then let's go," he says. We are walking through the compound. I have no idea where we are going but I can feel butterflies in my stomach. We walk in comfortable silence and I start to wonder where we are going. I don't have much time to think about it when I look to see we are at the net.

It feels like years since I was last here when really it was only just over a week ago. I look at Eric wondering what we are doing here.

It is like he is reading my mind when he says, "We only use this entrance once a year when the initiates arrive. So when I feel like some quiet time I come here and just lie on the net and stare up at the sky. It is better at night when you can see the stars, I will have to show you one night. Here let me help you up."

I walk up onto the platform with him and then he grabs me around my waist and throws me onto the net. I can't help but giggle. Then Eric pulls himself up and we both lie down and look up at the sky. It is a clear blue sky with only a few passing clouds. I can't help it but I have rolled a little onto Eric. He is so much heavier than I am and so I can't help but be this close to him. I try to move away but I just fall back onto him.

"Suzy are you trying to get away from me because of your Abnegation upbringing or is it that you don't want to be near me?"

"Um well, I don't think it's either. I just didn't think you would want me all over you like this." I sound so stupid. But at the same time why would he want me this close to him, if I couldn't get Caleb to stay with me why would a Dauntless leader want to be close to me.

"Suzy," he says. I look over to him and he has his arm out from his side. "Come and lie here and you will be more comfortable."

He leaves his arm out and I move over and lie down next to him leaning my head where his shoulder meets his arm. We just lie here looking at the sky, watching as the clouds slowly pass not saying a word. I have never been this close to a boy before, other than my brother. Caleb and I had never gotten this close, it wasn't allowed. Thank goodness I think because after he left me like he did I don't think I could have stood the shame.

"Eric," I say. "Do you bring many girls here?" Do I really want to know the answer to this; I suppose I'm curious to know. I mean he is leader and I think he is really attractive. His piercings are a little off putting but there is also something I like about them as well.

"I've never brought anyone else here Suzy," he says and then he grabs my hand in his and we continue to lie here in silence. I don't want to say anything else; I don't want to break what is feeling like a magic moment. Plus I can't seem to wipe the smile off my face.


	11. Chapter 11

**CAPTURE THE FLAG**

 **ERIC POV**

It has been two days since Suzy and I just hung out at the net together. We ended up falling asleep and woke to find the stars looking back at us through the whole in the roof. We didn't say much while we were there but it was just a really perfect moment. Who would have thought I would ever be liking a girl from Abnegation.

I am sitting on my lounge just remembering the time with Suzy when there is banging on my door. It will be Four coming to get me to play capture the flag. I have lost to Four the last two years and it really pissed me off. But this year I just don't seem to care. What is Suzy doing to me? I shake my head as I make my way to the door to let Four in.

"You ready?" he asks when I open the door.

"Yeah, let's go wake the initiates," I say.

We start to walk down the corridor and I say, "I want Suzy on my team tonight Four."

"Really?"

"Yeah so let's make a deal. I won't pick Tris if you don't pick Suzy."

"I can live with that. But I am going to beat you no matter who is on your team Eric."

"We'll see Four, we'll see."

* * *

I let Four and his scrawny team of misfits jump off the train first. There is no way he is going to beat my team tonight. I have this one in the bag. I can feel it. I love playing capture the flag. It is a rush, I love being able to shoot someone and watch the paint from the paintball splash across their clothing. I am sure I wouldn't get the same feeling if I was having to shoot someone with a real gun.

Four kept his word and I now have Suzy on my team. I haven't had a chance to talk to her since our day at the net so I'm hoping we can get some time together.

"Okay everyone, start jumping," I say. I watch Suzy jump and follow straight after her. She lands on her feet and I can't help but smile. She is starting to fit in and it gives me a warm feeling throughout my body.

Once everyone has jumped from the train we gather in a circle and I give Edward the flag. "You need to decide where you want to hide the flag and come up with a strategy to find the other teams flag," I say.

I leave them to argue amongst themselves. If I get involved then they will want me to make all the decisions for them. They need to learn to start making them for themselves. Luckily it has only taken them five minutes to make a decision and the flag is going to be hidden in some trees. One group has gone out to look for the other team's flag. Suzy and I are staying to defend our flag.

I have positioned Suzy to be with me and we have moved away from the others. "How have you been?" I ask her.

"Good. I will be glad when stage one is over," she says.

"You've been doing really well Suzy. There is only one more round of fights to go," I say. I hold out my hand and she entwines her fingers with mine. I see a small smile come across her face and I know I have a smile on my face too.

I am looking around; even though I want to be alone here with Suzy I know that I need to be alert for the other team. I look toward the Ferris Wheel and I see two figures climbing. "What are you looking at?" Suzy asks.

"Look up there, at the top of the Ferris Wheel," I say. The two figures have stopped and it looks like they are kissing.

"That has to be Tris and Four," Suzy says.

"Why do you think that?" I ask. I can't believe that it is them. I have seen Four's fear landscape. Not that I was supposed to but being a leader has some perks. I needed to know what those four fears were. He is scared of heights so I can't imagine him climbing up there.

"Well, look at the height difference and Tris would definitely do something like climb the Ferris Wheel. And of course Four would follow her," she says. That is true Four would follow her, fear or not he wouldn't be able to help himself. I have to admire him for that.

"I see them pointing towards us, we better hope that our team finds their flag first. Otherwise they are going to get our flag," I say. "That will mean I lose to Four three years in a row."

"We better get ready. We need to be alert for when their team gets here," she says.

"Good thinking," I say.

* * *

I am sitting on the train on the way home. Suzy is sitting next to me. I can hear laughter from the other end of the carriage. I can't help but feel some disappointment that we have lost but I am enjoying just sitting here with Suzy. I know I can't openly show any affection towards her but I really want too. I let my hand brush her leg and I feel her shiver.

"Hey Eric," says Peter.

"What do you want Peter?" I ask. He is so annoying. He has been sucking up to me ever since he got here. Usually I wouldn't mind that. There is always one or two who will try and befriend me. They can't help themselves; they think that being friendly will give them some type of advantage. But it doesn't, in the past I would just use them to my advantage.

"Well we were on the same team. I thought I would come and hang out with you," he says.

"The game is over Peter. Why don't you go and play with your friends," I say.

"Why? Would you rather hang out with the Stiff instead of me," he says.

I jump up from where I am sitting and I grab Peter and slam him into the wall of the train. I am holding him by his collar and I say, "Don't let me hear you ever call her that again. Do you understand?"

Peter looks scared. Really scared. He is nodding his head but I have still taken one of my hands off him and I am about to take a swing when Four grabs my arm. "He isn't worth it Eric," Four says quietly to me.

I know he is right but I am so angry right now. "Eric," Suzy says.

I push Peter away from me and I walk back over to where Suzy is. Four follows me and says, "Be careful. Don't let them see your feelings for her; you can't afford to let that happen."

I know he is right. I hate knowing he is right. I just nod my head and sit back down. I know Suzy heard what Four said she has blushed a deep red. She has moved down away from me and is now sitting with Tris, Uriah and Marlene. Fucking Peter!

* * *

I get back to my apartment and just lie on my bed. I have to start thinking about what we are going to do about Jeanine. I will have to deal with Four being a leader. I am not looking forward to that; I have enjoyed always being able to be above him. I won't be able to do that anymore. Although I am glad we are able to get along together. I know it isn't his fault Jeanine killed my dad but it is always in the back of my mind that if it wasn't for him I would still have dad here. It's stupid to think this way but what you know is right and how your mind works are two extremely different things.

I can't sleep. I keep thinking of Suzy. I can't believe I have feelings for her. I don't understand it. I've always been able to have whatever woman I wanted in Dauntless but this is different. I don't want the one night stand with Suzy. I actually want to get to know her. This is not going to be easy with her coming from Abnegation and the fact that Caleb left her. I just hope I have a chance with her.


	12. Chapter 12

**THE KNIVES ARE OUT**

 **FOUR POV**

I walk into the training room and take in the smell of dust, sweat and sharpened metal. I feel good today, tired from capture the flag last night but happy to have been able to steal a kiss with my girl. I still can't believe I followed her up the Ferris wheel but it was worth it. I can't wait for initiation to be over and then we can be together. Knife throwing today. I've requested we get it taken out of training but it has fallen on deaf ears. Maybe now that I am going to be a leader I will have a little more input. Hopefully Eric will be happy to stay out of the training room; I can't see Max wanting two leaders training initiates. I will just have to wait and see, we may not even have a faction if Jeanine gets her way.

The initiates are already in the room along with Eric. Looks like they are all waiting for me. Eric could have shown them how to throw a knife but he won't want to make a fool of himself. Knife throwing is not a strength of Eric's. Eric stands in the middle of the room. He looks like he hasn't slept. Best to avoid him if possible.

"Tomorrow will be the last day of stage one," Eric says. "You will resume fighting then. Today, you'll be learning how to aim. Everyone picks up three knives, and pay attention while Four demonstrates the correct technique for throwing them."

He isn't meeting my eyes today. He will not be happy that he has now lost capture the flag again. It wouldn't matter who you were Eric does not like to lose to anyone. Today could be a long day if I'm not careful.

"Now!" he screams.

This has the initiates scrambling to get to the knives quickly. They must be able to sense the urgency in Eric's voice. I turn toward the target, a knife in my right hand. I hold the knife by its blade so the balance is right. Whenever I show initiates how to throw knives it always reminds me of my instructor Amar. He taught me well. I inhale and stare at the target's centre. I exhale and throw. The knife hits the target and I hear a few of the initiates draw breath at the same time.

I find a rhythm in it; inhale and pass the next knife to my right hand, exhale and turn it with my fingertips, inhale and watch the target, exhale and throw.

"Line up!"Eric yells at the initiates.

Knives are flying but, most of the time, not spinning. Even Edward hasn't figured it out, though he's usually the quickest, his eyes alive with that Erudite knowledge-craving.

"I think the Stiff's taken too many hits to the head!" Peter says. He is talking to Tris, I think after last night he won't be teasing Suzy any time soon. "Hey, Stiff! Remember what a knife is?"

I don't usually hate people, but I hate Peter. I hate that he tries to shrink people, the same as Eric was in the past.

Tris doesn't answer, just picks up a knife and throws, still with that awkward arm, but it works—I hear metal slam against board, and I smile.

"Hey Peter," Tris says. "Remember what a target is?"

I watch each of them, trying not to catch Eric's eye as he paces like a caged animal behind them. I have to admit that Christina is good—though I don't like giving credit to Candor smart-mouths—and so is Peter—although I don't like giving credit to future psychopaths. Al, however, is just a walking, talking sledgehammer, all power and no finesse.

Unfortunately Eric has also noticed.

"How slow are you, Candor? Do you need glasses? Should I move the target closer to you?" Eric says, his voice is strained.

Al the Sledgehammer has unexpectedly soft insides. The taunting pierces them. When he throws again, the knife sails into a wall.

"What was that, initiate?" Eric says.

"It—it slipped."

"Well, I think you should go get it."

Everyone stops throwing.

"Did I tell you to stop?" Eric says, I can hear the agitation in his voice. This is not good.

"Go get it?" says Al. "But everyone's still throwing."

"And?"

"And I don't want to get hit."

"I think you can trust your fellow initiates to aim better than you. Go get your knife."

"No."

The Sledgehammer strikes again, I think. The response is stubborn but there is no strategy in it. Still, it takes more bravery for Al to say no than for Eric to force him to get a knife to the back of the head, which is something Eric will never understand.

"Why not? Are you afraid?"

"Of getting stabbed by an airborne knife?" says Al. "Yes, I am!"

"Everyone stop!" Eric says. "Clear out of the ring."

Then to Al; "All except you. Stand in front of the target."

Al, gulping, lumbers over to the target. I know what Eric will do. And it will probably end with a lost eye or a pierced throat.

Without looking at me, Eric says, "Hey Four. Give me a hand here, huh?"

Part of me feels relief. At least I know that if I am throwing the knives instead of Eric, Al is less likely to get injured. But I also can't be this cruel; unfortunately I am not going to have a choice either.

I try to act casual, scratching my eyebrow with a knife point, but I don't feel casual. I feel like someone is pressing me into a mold that does not fit my body, forcing me into the wrong shape.

Eric says, "You're going to stand there as he throws those knives until you learn not to flinch."

My chest feels tight. I want to save Al, but I can't. Eric needs to keep acting his usual cruel self and I have to keep pretending that we are enemies. I decide to pretend that I am bored by the whole thing.

"Is this really necessary?"

"I have the authority here, remember?" Eric says. He makes sure it is loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Not for much longer," I say so only Eric can hear. I see a small smirk on his face.

Hopefully once we have stopped this Erudite attack we can start to change Dauntless. I hope that Eric's behaviour will calm down. Maybe if Suzy has feelings for him than she may be able to keep him under some sort of control or at least bring a softer side out of him. Not sure if that will be possible but I need to believe everyone can change. I need the hope.

And then she says, "Stop it."

I don't want Eric to turn on her instead. I glare at her as if that will make her think twice. I know it won't. I'm not stupid. Tris is always going to stand up for the underdog. It is one of the things I love most about her. But I also know that Eric isn't going to be able to back down either.

"Then it should be easy for you," Eric says. "If you're willing to take his place."

Eric glances at me. I give a small nod. I know he had no other choice than to do this. Doesn't mean I'm not angry about it.

"There goes your pretty face," Peter says, across the room. "Oh, wait. You don't have one."

Eric walks over to Peter and stands chest to chest with him. "What did you say?" he asks Peter in a very quiet low voice. I would not want to be Peter right now.

"Nothing," he says. "I didn't say anything."

"Well I think everyone in the room heard what you said Peter. I think that if you can keep making these sly comments toward others than it shouldn't be too hard for you to stand in front of the target."

"What?" Peter squeals. His voice has gone up a few octaves and I can see fear in his eyes.

"You can take Tris's place in front of the target," Eric says.

Peter doesn't move. I don't think he can. "Move!" Eric shouts into Peter's face.

Tris walks out of the way and Peter drags his feet as he stands before the target.

Eric walks over to where I am standing. "Make sure you scare the shit out of him," he says. "I don't care if you hit him. It would be better if you did."

I nod with a smile on my face. I turn the knife in my hand and I look over to Peter. His eyes are almost popping out of his head. He can't seem to be able to hide the fear, Peter is a true coward.

I throw the first knife and it goes through the fabric of his pants next to his knee. Peter lets out a sigh. Don't get to comfortable Peter I am only going to get closer I think to myself.

I move the knife from my left hand to my right and start the process all over again. The next knife is thrown and it lands in his T-shirt next to his waist. He lets out a small yelp, more from fear because I know I haven't hit him.

"Come on Four," Eric says. "You can get closer than that."

I give Eric a wide smile. Neither one of us likes Peter and I may as well enjoy this. I decide on the spot of where I am going to land the knife next and start my routine again. I hope Peter doesn't move or we may have a problem.

I let the knife go and the knife goes exactly where I wanted it too. Peter lets out an ear piercing scream and tries to jump away from the target but his clothes are stuck to the wall with the first two knives that were thrown. I don't understand why Peter has screamed, it's not like I stabbed him. I have only grazed his neck. It has taken the skin off but he isn't gushing blood. Lucky he didn't move or there could have been a lot worse outcome for him.

The other initiates are all laughing at Peter and he has gone bright red knowing that he has been put in his place. "I hope this teaches you to keep your mouth shut now Peter," Eric says. "If not I am sure Four would love to shoot some bullets at you."

"I think that's enough for today, you are all dismissed," Eric says.

Peter is the first to run from the room while the other initiates slowly walk from the room. The only people to stay are Suzy and Tris.

"Thank you Eric," Tris says.

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut Tris. It is not a good time to be so bold," Eric says. "I can't just let it slide if you are going to open your mouth."

"Four I have something to show you. I think we can have Suzy and Tris come with us."

I have no idea what he wants to show me but it means I get to spend more time with Tris and I can't let the opportunity go. Eric starts to walk out of the training room and Tris, Suzy and I are looking at each other.

"Come on," Eric says. I shrug my shoulders to Tris and we start to follow.

* * *

We stopped at the housing allocation centre and then walked to an area of Dauntless that is only used by Dauntless leaders. We stop at a door with a number on it. Eric must be taking us to his apartment. Eric gives me the key and says, "Open it up."

I take the key from Eric's hand and I open the door. Eric walks into the room and motions for us to follow. The room we have walked into is fully furnished as a lounge room. I can see a dining room and kitchen further into the room and a staircase. There is nothing personal in the room and I wonder if we are in the right apartment. I would have expected Eric to have left his mark somewhere in the apartment.

"This is your new home Four," Eric says.

"What?" I say.

"Once the announcement is made tomorrow night this will be yours," he says.

"What announcement?" Tris asks.

"Haven't you told her yet?" Eric asks.

"I haven't said anything to anyone," I say.

"Well Tris your boyfriend is going to be announced as a leader tomorrow night," Eric says. "We need to keep it quiet until then. I thought this was a good time to show you your new apartment and then Suzy and Tris can join us for lunch at my place," Eric says.

I am shocked. I didn't expect a new apartment and I think I'm even more shocked that Eric is asking us all to have lunch together. He must really like Suzy.

"So Four you and Tris can stay and have a look around and Suzy and I can go and get us some lunch from the dining hall and bring it back up here. We can have lunch in my apartment, it's right next door," Eric says.

I just nod my head, I'm still trying to process what has happened.

"I will shout out once we are back," Eric says as he and Suzy leave.

"Are you okay?" Tris asks.

"Um, yeah. I think so. I didn't expect all this. Compared to my old apartment this is like . . . wow."

I can see Tris has a lot of questions to ask me, but I don't know if I'm ready to answer them so I take her in my arms and just hug her. Hold her as close as I can, this is where I feel my strongest, when I have my arms wrapped around Tris. I have so much that I am going to have to tell her and I know she is going to worry when she finds out what could happen to Abnegation. She will make herself sick with worry for her parents.

"Should we check out upstairs?" She asks.

"Why not. I'm going to be moving in here tomorrow. I suppose I should have a look at what I've got myself into."

We walk up the stairs hand in hand. We reach the top of the stairs and I can see four doors. We walk into the first room and it is a bedroom. There is a double bed with side tables and lamps. There is a chest of drawers and a wardrobe. On the wall next to the wall we just walked through is another door. I walk over and open the door to find a bathroom. There is a bath, shower, toilet and vanity in the room and across from where we have walked in there is another door.

We walk across the room and through the next door and find another room. The room is bare. So I suppose I could make it into anything I want. Maybe an office I am thinking. We walk out the door and into a hall way and across the hall into the last door. I open the door and both Tris and I say, "Wow." At the same time.

This room is massive. Tris walks over and opens another door and finds a bathroom. It is a lot larger than the other bathroom. There is a bath that I'm sure could fit four people in it. A shower with double shower heads in it. A toilet and twin vanities.

I walk back out of the bathroom and see I have a walk in robe. It would take me ten lifetimes to even imagine thinking of filling it. But I suppose when Tris and I get married she will find a way to fill it, probably Christina would help her with that. But that is a little way off. Tris is only sixteen and I'm only eighteen I think we can wait a few years before we do that.

I walk out of the wardrobe and find Tris jumping on my new bed. She is laughing and I can't help but start to laugh with her. We could never do anything like this when we were in Abnegation and I can't help myself I jump up on the bed and start jumping with her. I don't think anyone would believe her if she told them we were jumping up and down on a bed if she told them.

I stop jumping and I reach out and grab her. She stops jumping and I lean down and kiss her. Every moment I can steal with Tris I will at the moment. I love the feel of her lips on mine. I have hold of her and I sweep her legs out from under her so that we are now lying on the bed.

We start kissing again and it is starting to get really hot in here. I know where I want this to go but my Abnegation background is starting to creep into my head. I have to respect how Tris feels and the only other time we have really had a chance to be this close was in my apartment after the field trip. We haven't had sex but we were close that day. I'm a teenage boy and ever since Tris arrived in Dauntless it is the only thing I can think about.

Clothing is starting to be removed when I hear Eric yell out, "I've got lunch."

I groan and Tris giggles. Next thing I know Eric is in the room and I am trying to cover Tris with my body because she doesn't have a shirt on.

"Are you two serious?" Eric asks. "What happened to being from Abnegation?"

"We aren't in Abnegation Eric," I say.

"Obviously, I can see that Four," he says.

"Well can you get out so we can get dressed," I say.

"Yeah, sorry."

"We will be down in a second," I say.

Eric leaves the room and I look at Tris and she is trying not to laugh. "It is really funny Tobias," Tris says.

"That's not what I was expecting you to say Tris," I say.

I give her a peck on the cheek and I lift myself off the bed and put my shirt back on. Tris puts her shirt back on and we start to walk out of the room.

"Did Eric say you are moving in here tomorrow night?" Tris asks.

"Yeah he did. Why?"

"Well then we can officially christen the bed," she whispers to me. She is blushing as she says it.

"Tris," I say. I look into her eyes and I say, "We don't have to do anything until you are ready."

"I know Tobias. You have told me this before. Maybe I am ready," Tris says with a smile on her face.

"Well you just tell me when and I will be there, that is for sure," I say.

Tris lets out a small giggle and I really wish we could stay here in this moment forever.

"Hurry up you two. Lunch is going to be cold soon," Eric calls from downstairs.

"We better get down there, he seems in a good mood compared to this morning. I would hate to wreck it," I say.

We make our way down the stairs and follow Eric to his apartment. It feels strange knowing that I am going to have Eric as a neighbour. This whole situation with Eric feels strange. I have had to deal with him hating me for the last two years and now he is acting like we are best friends. I wonder how long it will last. Will it only last until this situation with Jeanine is over or is he really changing for the better? Only time will tell.


	13. Chapter 13

**NEW FRIENDS AND OLD FRIENDS**

 **SUZY POV**

Eric, Four and Tris walk into Eric's apartment. I have just set the table and put the food out for everyone to eat. We all sit down around his dining table.

"You will never guess what I found these two doing next door," Eric says to Suzy. "I found them half naked on the bed in the master bedroom."

"Eric," Four says in a warning voice.

"What? Seriously I thought you two being from Abnegation would be all . . . well I hate to say it but Stiff!"

"Eric if we agreed with the Abnegation teachings then we would have stayed in Abnegation," Tris says.

"Okay," he says. "I'm just a little shocked that's all."

"I don't think they were ever normal Abnegation kids," I say.

"Why do you say that?" Four asks.

"Well Tris was always in trouble when we were kids. Caleb was always having to remind her how to act. And then when you started walking to school with us Four, well Tris and you were always finding ways to get in trouble. Even when we had to do our volunteering. You two were always disappearing or playing around," I say. "I even remember one time when I saw Tris climbing out of your window at night."

Eric lets out the loudest laugh I think I have ever heard. We are all looking at him. "What? I would never have guessed this of either of you. This is hilarious. So coming to Dauntless wasn't just about getting away from your father Four."

"I think we can find a different topic to talk about, don't you?" says Tris.

"How funny was Peter's face when Four was throwing the knives at him," I say. Everyone starts laughing and pointing out different things they saw him do while it was happening.

Once we have finished lunch we move to the lounge room and there is more storytelling and laughing. We are having a great afternoon when Eric says, "I think we need to tell them what is happening Four."

I see Four's face become serious and it is starting to worry me a bit. What could it be that they have to tell us that would have the mood change so quickly? Four just nods his head.

"Suzy, Tris I need to tell you something but it cannot leave this room. It cannot be discussed with anyone outside of us. You are not going to like what we are going to tell you but just know we are doing everything we can to change it," Eric says.

"Just tell us Eric, please," I say. The tone in his voice is worrying me.

I watch as Four takes hold of Tris around her waist and pulls her towards him. Watching this interaction makes me extremely nervous.

"Jeanine Mattews and a few from Erudite are planning to overthrow Abnegation," Eric says.

"What!" Tris squeals. "How? Why?"

"She plans on putting Dauntless under a sim and have them attack Abnegation," Four says.

"Is she crazy?" I ask.

"Yeah it seems so," Eric says. "But we are planning to stop her before it comes to that. This is why Four has agreed to join leadership. He is going to help me to stop it."

"How can we help?" Tris asks.

"You don't need to do anything," Four says. "I need you and Suzy to just keep concentrating on passing initiation. Leave it to Eric and I, we both want to keep you safe. You will have enough to worry about with stage two and three of training. You don't need to worry about what we are doing."

"But I want to help," Tris says. "I need to make sure my parents are okay."

"I know you do. But please just let us handle it. We need you to get through initiation so you can help us," Four says.

This seems to calm Tris down but I can see that she is thinking long and hard about what has been said. I know it is something that I will be thinking of too. I would hate to think of something bad happening to my parents. Then it makes me think that if I had stayed then it could have been me who would need rescuing. I can't believe Caleb would want to be around people like Jeanine Mattews, it makes me wonder if he is helping her in some way. It is sad that I think that it wouldn't surprise me if he was.

* * *

Tris and I leave Eric's apartment at dinner time. This way we can walk back together and no one will wonder where we have been because we have been together. They will just think that we did something by ourselves for the afternoon. Although Christina and Will did see me in the dining hall with Eric. Hopefully they will have forgotten about that.

"What do you think of what they told us Tris?"

"I don't know Suzy, it scares me that my parents may be in trouble. But it also makes me worry about Caleb. I really hope he hasn't become involved in all of this."

"So did Eric really find you two half naked?"

Tris starts to blush and nods her head.

"Do you think Abnegation were right in what they taught us?" I ask.

"Some of it maybe. But I just know how he makes me feel and that I know all his secrets and he knows mine and I can't imagine ever being with anyone else. So I don't want to wait until we are married. Even if we had both stayed in Abnegation I don't think we would have been able to wait. I feel like a part of me is missing when he isn't there."

"It has been so hard being so close and not being together. Much harder than the two years we were apart, it was easier when I didn't have to see him every day. I just hope I can get through initiation without being cut so we can have a life together."

"Why do you ask Suzy? Is it because of Eric?"

"I really like him Tris. I know I just had my heart broken by Caleb but it feels like a distant memory. And Eric is so different for Caleb, he makes me feel things I never felt with Caleb. You know the other day when you snuck off to be with Four?"

Tris nods her head.

"Well I was trying to get away from Al, I didn't want to spend the afternoon with him. Anyway I ran straight into Eric and I explained I was trying to avoid Al and he asked me if I wanted to hang out with him. We went and spent the afternoon lying on the net and just looking up at the sky. It was a really beautiful thing and we hardly even talked we just laid there watching the clouds float past."

"Wow Suzy I didn't expect Eric to be like that. If he makes you happy then you should be with him. Whatever way you feel comfortable. Not by what Eric wants or looking at how Four and I act. You need to do it your way and by your rules. If he respects you then he will be okay with it."

"Thanks Tris," I say. We have just reached the dining hall. We walk in and see Christina, Will and Al sitting at our usual table. We walk over and sit down with them.

 **FOUR POV**

"What made you think it was a good idea to tell them? Don't you think it would have been better to tell them closer to the event?"

"That is probably the only opportunity we are going to get with them both together to tell them. They needed to know," Eric says.

"I know that. But I also know Tris and she is going to be worried about it and she needs to concentrate on getting through initiation," I say.

"She will get through. So will Suzy. Once they get into stage two they will be fine. They only have fights tomorrow and even if they lose they will still make it past stage one. Don't worry so much Four. We need to start planning what we are going to do about Jeanine. At least now you are going to be living next door it will be easier to be able to talk about it."

* * *

I get to the dining hall and I go and sit with Zeke and Shauna. It feels like I haven't really seen them in weeks. "Hey Four," Zeke says. "Where have you been?"

"He's been with his initiates Zeke," Shauna says.

"How do you know Shauna? You only got back from the fence today," Zeke says.

"Exactly Zeke and who do you think I saw him with at the fence?" Shauna says.

"The initiates," I say.

"Yes Four I know. But you are leaving out the fact that one of the initiates is getting a lit bit more attention than the rest. Aren't you Four?" Shauna says.

"No Shauna I think you asked who I was at the fence with and I think I was pretty accurate about who I was with," I say. I know where this conversation is going. Shauna saw me with Tris. So I tell them the truth or should I just leave her guessing.

"What are you two talking about?" Zeke asks.

"Four is totally crushing on Tris, the first jumper," Shauna says.

"Really? Is that why we haven't seen you lately? Or is that because Eric is your new best friend?" Zeke says. Is that bitterness I hear in his voice.

"What is this? Pick on Four day or something!"

"No we just want to know what is going on Four," Shauna says. "Why are you being so secretive?"

"Shauna," I say, almost as a whine.

"Come on Four, we are friends. If you are finally liking someone then we want to be able to get excited about it," Shauna says.

"Okay, well it isn't a crush. We were friends in Abnegation and then just before I came here we got together. So I suppose she has been my girlfriend for the past couple of years, we just couldn't be together until she transferred here. But we aren't going to be together until after she gets through initiation," I say.

"Dude why didn't you tell me? Is that why you sucked at the whole dating thing? Because you were really with her? I wouldn't have made you come on those dates with me if I had known," says Zeke.

"No Zeke, I really do just suck at the whole dating thing. I have no idea what to say to most girls and even if I had told you, well you still would have dragged me along anyway," I say.

Shauna starts laughing. "He is right Zeke you would have still dragged the poor guy along. Well you looked like you were handling the situation alright today Four."

"Yeah well Tris is different. I just can't wait for initiation to be over," I say.

"Only a few more weeks. You will be okay Four," Shauna says patting me on the back.

We finish dinner and we leave the dining hall together. I start walking towards my apartment, Zeke only lives down the hall so we are walking together. We get to my door and there are a stack of empty boxes blocking the way.

There is a note taped to my front door from Eric. Zeke pulls the note of the door and says, "Are you sure you are with Tris. This makes it look like you are moving in with Eric," Zeke says.

I take the note out of Zeke's hand and I step over the boxes and open my door. "Come in here and I will explain it to you," I say. "Grab some of those boxes will you."

Zeke and I grab all the boxes and we walk into my apartment. Zeke goes and sits on the couch and says, "Okay buddy spill. What is going on with you and Eric?"

"I am taking a leaders job. It will be announced tomorrow night. I have been having to spend more time with Eric because of that. I haven't told you because I am supposed to wait for it to be announced officially first. So I need you to keep it quiet until Max announces it," I say.

"Congrats man," Zeke says.

"Thanks, I think. I hope it is the right move. You should see the apartment they are giving me. It makes this look like a shoe box."

Then I hear a soft knock on my door. It is probably Shauna coming to find Zeke. I open the door and Tris is standing there.

"Tris," I say.

"Oh did you say Tris," Zeke says. "Introduce me Four."

"Come in Tris, you can meet my friend Zeke. Tris this is Zeke, Zeke this is Tris," I say.

"Hi," they both say at the same time and then they both laugh.

"If you need any help moving anything let me know. I better go and find Shauna. Nice to meet you Tris," Zeke says.

"Likewise," says Tris.

"Bye Zeke," I say. I shut the door and turn to towards Tris. "I didn't think I would see you again today. Not that I'm not happy to see you."

"Well I know Eric gave you the key to the new apartment. So I thought I would come and help you to move some of your stuff," she says.

"Well that was really kind of you Tris," I say. "I might not be Candor Tris but I think there might be a bit more that you're not telling me."

I pull her towards me and start to kiss her. She pulls away and whispers in my ear, "I thought maybe we could start where we left off."

"Well if that is the case then I think we better go back over there now and see just where we want my things to go before we start moving it all over," I say with a smile on my face.

"Sounds like a plan, let's go," Tris says.

We walk out of this apartment and make our way over to the new apartment.


	14. Chapter 14

**VISITING DAY**

 **FOUR POV**

I walk into the Pit and see a room of colours. It seems we have a lot of visitors in the Dauntless compound today. I usually avoid this but today I can't. I need to talk to Tris' mum. I see Eric standing near the door to the dining hall. He doesn't look like he is enjoying today at all. It is understandable with his dad gone and his mum being held in Erudite it must be painful to watch the interactions between families.

I walk over to Eric and he says, "Did you get everything we need?"

"Yeah," I say. I pull the backpack off my back and hand it to Eric.

"Let's get this over with," he says.

We walk over to where Tris and Suzy are with members of their families. As we approach I hear Tris threatening to break someone's nose. Eric looks at me and I just shrug my shoulders. I have no idea what is going on. As we arrive on the scene I can see Mrs Prior forcefully dragging Tris away from tan argument with a woman from Erudite.

Eric and I stop in front of Tris and her mum. "We need to talk Natalie," Eric says.

"Tris take your mum into the bathroom and get her to change into something that is in this bag," Eric says to Tris. Tris looks at him cautiously and then turns to me and I just nod.

"Where is Suzy?" I ask. By the time I look up Eric has spotted Suzy and has started walking over to where she is. I can see that it is only her father that has come to see her today. I hope that her mum has gone to see Robert and that is the reason she is not here.

"Mr Black," Eric says extending his hand out to shake Mr Blacks. "My name is Eric and I need you and Suzy to come with me please."

Suzy looks startled. "It's okay Suzy, we just need to talk to your father and we can't do it here," I say.

We walk over to the where the bathrooms are and wait until Tris and her mum walk out. Both looking very Dauntless. Eric takes the bag from Tris and asks Mr Black to follow him. They walk into the bathroom and when they return Mr Black is dressed all in black like the rest of us. We motion for them to follow us and we make our way towards Eric's apartment.

* * *

"I'm sorry for all of this but we need to talk to you and we couldn't do it in the Pit," I say.

Natalie smiles and walks over and hugs me. "It is so good to see you Tobias," she says.

"Tobias? Tobias Eaton?" Mr Black says.

"Yes sir, but you can call me Four," I say.

"Why would I want to talk to you? You are a faction traitor," Mr Black demands.

"I think if you look at it realistically Mr Black. We would all be classed as faction traitors in your eyes," Eric says. "I don't think singling one person out is what is needed at this moment."

"Please everyone sit. We need to talk to you and we don't have much time," I say.

We all sit down and Eric says, "Erudite are going to try and attack Abnegation. We are trying to stop it before it happens but we need you to be ready in case it doesn't work. We may need Abnegation's help. We haven't got details of what is going to happen but we should soon. I will be in contact with you Natalie in the usual way."

"What?" Tris asks. She is shocked but looking at her and Natalie sitting here together in black I can imagine them both fitting into Dauntless. I have to wonder after seeing Natalie pull Tris from that Erudite girl in the Pit if she was Dauntless. It wouldn't surprise me.

"I have been helping Eric to rescue people who are Divergent out of Dauntless," Natalie says.

"So Amar is alive?" I ask.

"He is. But that is all I can tell you about it Tobias. It is too dangerous any other way," Natalie says. I suppose it would be pointless to try to ask for more information. It does show that Eric isn't the person I once thought he was.

Mr Black has sat very quiet, I think he may be a little shocked at what is going on. "Dad are you okay?"asks Suzy.

"Yes dear this is just a little overwhelming. Are you all sure this is going to happen?"Mr Black asks.

"Mr Black I am a leader here in Dauntless and as of tonight so will Four. We have information that has come straight from Erudite. We are still trying to work out how we will stop this but you need to be prepared. If we can't stop this then it could be a massacre of Abnegation."

"We have another problem," I say. "We need to hide Eric's mum. We think the best place to put her is in Abnegation. Erudite are not going to look for her there."

"I can organise that," Natalie says.

"Thank you Natalie," Eric says. "I can't thank you enough. We still need to get her out of Erudite."

"We better go," Natalie says. "We don't want you to get in any trouble for having us here."

"Take this bag and change once you are away from the Dauntless compound," I say.

Tris and Suzy say there final goodbyes to their families and just before they are leaving I go and give Natalie a hug. "Take care of my girl Tobias," she says.

"I will. I promise," I tell Natalie.

Eric has gone over to Mr Black and is having a hushed conversation with him. I don't know what is being said but Mr Black does not look happy. I have to wonder what he has said and then I realise what it is. I'm sure he has just asked to court Suzy, which is what is done in Abnegation. From Mr Black's reaction I am thinking he isn't happy about the situation.

* * *

Tris and Suzy left with their parents. They were going to walk them to the exit and then return to the dormitory. Eric and I need to organise the rankings. We both know how important this is. It will be the difference between continuing on to stage two or being factionless. I hate that we have to kick people out. Hopefully in the future I can have this rule changed. If everything works out I think I will be trying to change a lot of rules in Dauntless. Hopefully I can help us to go back to the way it used to be. That the manifesto can mean something again.

"So what were you saying to Suzy's dad?" I can't help but ask. Although I'm sure I know the answer.

"I was asking if I could date her after initiation finished. I thought I would try to do the right thing by Suzy even though I don't have too," he says.

"So it didn't go well?"

"Her dad is crazy. He said there was no way he would ever approve of her dating anyone in Dauntless. He told me that I had a hide for even asking and that she would never love me because she is in love with Caleb."

"Ouch! I wouldn't worry about him. And I don't think you need to worry about her being in love with Caleb."

"Why would you think that?"

"The way she looks at you. And Tris told me it was her pride that was hurt. I think she is more upset because of the embarrassment it caused her. She will probably be a little wary of anyone wanting to date her. Plus she is the only woman I have seen who isn't scared of you."

Eric laughs. "Well I will just have to wait and see. I suppose I was lucky that it was me and not you that was asking. He really doesn't like you."

"Nobody in Abnegation does. They can't accept that the leaders son would want to leave. Marcus has them all hypnotised by his selfless personality," I say sarcastically.

"Natalie seems to like you," he says.

"When I left Tris told her mum about us and about why I left."

"What made you pick Dauntless?"

"Tris. I knew she didn't fit into Abnegation. So I asked her which faction would she pick if she left Abnegation. She said Dauntless so I decided to come here and hope she would follow."

"That is crazy Four. You are a Dauntless prodigy and you came here because of your girl."

"If I think about it though, I would have picked Dauntless even if it wasn't for Tris. It just made it easier that she wanted to come here too."

"Yeah I don't think I could imagine you in somewhere like Amity," he says and we just crack up laughing.

"So, we better get these rankings done. Do you think we could kick Peter out?"

"How good would that be? But he is going to place high. We can only hope he freaks out in stage two. Which I think could happen. He is a coward and tries to intimidate people, he will have trouble when he has to face his fear."

"Okay let's get this done."

We finalise the rankings. We usually show the initiates the rankings in the dormitory but Max wants it done in the dining hall tonight. That way they can show both the transfers and the Dauntless-borns results at the same time and then Max is going to announce my leadership position.

I wish I didn't have to take the leadership position but I know I can't trust Eric to not see it through without my help. He needs to stay strong and until we get his mother out of Erudite he could always change his mind and just go along with the Erudite plan. I understand why and that is why I need to do this. It could save a lot of lives. I have to put my hate of Marcus out of my mind. If it all works out then I will have to worry about facing him but for now I just need to try and save Dauntless from becoming mindless murderers.


	15. Chapter 15

**REVELATIONS, RANKINGS AND REVENGE**

 **TRIS POV**

I walk into the dormitory after saying good bye to my mum. I didn't realise just how much I had missed her. I think having Tobias and Suzy here with me has helped me. I love being in Dauntless and I know I don't belong in Abnegation. But with trying to get through initiation and knowing what is coming from Erudite it has been so stressful and I think seeing mum just makes the day a lot more emotional than I would usually let it be.

Suzy has walked into the dormitory with me and has decided to go and have a shower. I walk over to the bunks and I see Al sitting on his bed.

"There you are!" I say. "Your parents were looking for you. Did they find you?"

He shakes his head.

"You didn't want to see them?" I ask as I sit next to him on the bed.

"Didn't want them to ask how I was doing," he says. "I'd have to tell them, and they would know if I was lying."

"Well . . ." I don't really know what to say, he is failing and we can all see it. "What's wrong with how you're doing?" Great Tris, what a stupid thing to say I think to myself.

Al laughs harshly. "I've lost every fight since the one with Will. I'm not doing well."

"By choice, though. Couldn't you tell them that, too?"

He shakes his head. "Dad always wanted me to come here. I mean, they said they wanted me to stay in Candor, but that's only because that's what they're supposed to say. They've always admired the Dauntless, both of them. They wouldn't understand if I tried to explain it to them."

"Oh," I say. "Is that why you chose Dauntless? Because of your parents?"

Al shakes his head. "No. I guess it was because . . . I think it's important to protect people. To stand up for people. Like you did for me." He smiles at me. "That's what the Dauntless are supposed to do, right? That's what courage is. Not . . . hurting people for no reason."

"Maybe it will be better once initiation is over."

"Too bad I might come in last," Al says. "I guess we'll see tonight."

I just sit here with him. I don't really know what else to say. I feel sorry for Al but I also know that if he really wants to be Dauntless then he is going to have to step up.

"I feel braver when I'm around you, you know," he says. "Like I could actually fit in her, the same way you do."

I am about to respond when he slides his arm across my shoulders. Suddenly I freeze my cheeks hot.

I didn't want to be right about Al's feelings for me. But here I am feeling very uncomfortable. I do not lean into him. Instead I sit forward so his arm falls away. Then I squeeze my hands together in my lap. If only I didn't have to keep Tobias and I a secret. Al would never have tried this if he had known.

"Tris, I . . . " he says. His voice is strained. I glance at him. His face is as red as mine feels, but he's not crying—he just looks embarrassed.

"Um . . . sorry," he says. "I wasn't trying to . . . um. Sorry."

I wish I could tell him not to take it personally, that I already have a boyfriend. But that isn't even the point. Al is not someone I would want to date even if I was single. He is too soft; I need someone who can fight for what they believe in. I need Tobias.

Suzy walks out of the bathroom and I don't think I've ever been happier to see anyone in my life.

"Tris I think I would like to get a tattoo. Would you come with me?" she says.

"Yeah, I would love to be there when you get your first tattoo," I say. "Al do you want to join us?" I ask, hoping he will say no. It has been awkward enough.

I leap of the bed quickly and link my arm with Suzy's.

"I think I will stay here," Al says.

I nod my head and start to walk out the door with Suzy. Once we are out the door Suzy starts to laugh.

"What?"

"I was coming out of the bathroom and I saw what was happening. I was starting to feel as red as you had gone. I felt so embarrassed for Al," she says. "So I thought I would come in and give you an excuse to leave."

"So you don't really want a tattoo?"

"Not yet. I just kept thinking if Four saw him doing that he would probably kill him," she says. She is still laughing.

"Please don't laugh Suzy, it was so embarrassing. I didn't know what to say. I'm not completely comfortable with that sought of attention from someone."

"But you are with Four," she says.

"That's different. I love him. Plus I have known him for years. He knows me. I don't think I could imagine being with anyone else, ever," I say.

 **SUZY POV**

I am sitting in the dining hall with Tris, Christina, Will and Al. We are waiting for the announcement of our rankings. I don't think Tris and I have anything to worry about. We have one most of our fights. The last fight between Molly and Tris had been brutal.

Once she told me what Molly, Peter and Drew had done to her in the dormitory I could understand why she didn't stop beating Molly until Four grabbed her. I think I would have just died from shame if someone had seen me naked like that. But not Tris, she got her revenge.

Christina and Will are discussing the aptitude test. I don't want to talk to them about my test results. They will probably think I am a coward for transferring to Dauntless like I did. But it is different now that I am here. I am a different person to the one that left Abnegation.

I am loving my life here. I am relieved that I don't have to fight anymore. That was such a hard thing to do. I would never have imagined that I would ever be able to do that. But it has been great therapy; I just kept imagining that the person I was fighting was Caleb. I think that really helped me to win my fights and it also helped me to get my feelings for Caleb out of my system.

So now I don't want to have to admit why I chose Dauntless because it isn't the reason that I want to stay in Dauntless. Before I have to answer Christina a hush has come over the dining hall. There is only one person I know who could elicit that reaction from the members of Dauntless every time they walk into a room. It means that Eric has arrived.

I look over towards the door and see that Eric has walked into the room with Four and Max. I seem to have started getting butterflies in my stomach whenever I see Eric. I wish that the people in this room could see him the same way I do. I understand why people are so scared of him. I hope that once this thing with Erudite is over that he can start acting more human to others. Otherwise it won't matter how I am feeling towards him. I couldn't be with someone who seems so cruel and sadistic. Because I would always be afraid that he could be like that to me.

Four and I have spoken about Eric. He was honest with me about the way Eric acts but he also told me of the changes he had seen from him over the last few weeks. Only time will tell when it comes to Eric and for now I need to concentrate on passing initiation. Because I don't think I could survive being factionless.

Max has stood on one of the tables and he has Four and Eric on either side of him. Standing next to Four is Lauren, she has been training the Dauntless-born initiates. I reach over and I grab Tris's hand. I am so nervous. I know we have done well but I can't help the nerves that have crept in. Max is saying something about how our rankings were decided. I can't listen I am too nervous. Just show us the results my brain is screaming.

"We will be announcing the cuts tomorrow," Max says. "Four of you will be leaving us. Here are the rankings."

We all look up to see Four and Lauren have turned the boards I hadn't even noticed them holding around. I scan the board quickly and once I see my name I let out a sigh of relief. Tris and I are safe. The rankings look like this:

1\. Edward

2\. Peter

3\. Will

4\. Tris

5\. Suzy

6\. Molly

7\. Christina

8\. Drew

9\. Al

10\. Myra

I then look at the board with the rankings for the Dauntless-born. I have no idea who they are but I do hear a lot of cheering coming from a table across from us.

"Okay, okay," Max says. "Now I have one more important announcement to make. It seems I have finally been able to wear him down. I was starting to think it would never happen. But finally Four has agreed to become one of our leaders here in Dauntless. So effective immediately I would like to welcome Four to Dauntless leadership."

It looked like Max wanted to say more but the cheers, the stomping of everyone's feet and the clanging of cups on the table has stopped that. I didn't realise just how popular Four was or that this decision would get this type of reaction.

I look up to Eric and I see him looking at Four, he actually looks like he is happy with this. I thought he would have been at least a little jealous. Everyone knows that Eric isn't popular and by the reaction of Dauntless they are extremely happy with Four's decision. So I am glad that I see that look in Eric's eye. Maybe there is a chance he has changed. Maybe there is a chance for us.

* * *

I go to bed feeling lighter than I have felt since just before the Aptitude Test. Stage one is complete and if I can just get through stages two and three then I will be able to become a full Dauntless member. I would not have ever thought such things a few weeks ago.

I am woken from my slumber with a blood curdling scream. I instantly jump up to see the room is completely dark. I hear someone shout, "Turn on the lights!"

The lights come on and I scan the room to see what is happening. There are now more screams happening. Tris has jumped out of bed and I look to see where she is going. Then I see it. A scene that is going to haunt my vision for days to come. Edward is lying on the floor wailing and moving around with blood pooling around his head.

Edward is clutching at his face and I see metal sticking out from his eye. What is that? I think to myself as I move closer. It looks like a butter knife, the ones that we use in the dining hall. Who would do such a thing? I look around the room and Peter and Drew are missing. What would make someone do something like this? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Peter is involved. But I am.

The Abnegation has come out in Tris. She is kneeling next to Edward and trying to keep him calm. I don't know if I could do what she is doing right now. I have never seen such a sight. I have worked with the factionless for years and we see some pretty gross things, especially when they don't have access to clean running water in some of the areas that they live. But this, this is on a whole new level for me.

I watch amazed that Tris has been able to keep Edward from pulling the knife from his eye. I nurse comes into the room and asks Tris to step back. Tris is covered in blood. Her hands and knees are soaked. I walk over and guide her to the bathrooms and I ask Christina to get her some clothes.

I stay in there with my back turned until she finishes. I don't say anything. What could any of us say anyway? We walk out of the bathroom and I watch as Tris goes and gets as many paper towels as she can and she starts to clean the blood from the floor. I don't think I just go and do the same and help Tris.

There are bloody foot prints from Tris walking to the shower and from the nurse and whoever followed her and Edward out of the room. I start on these as Tris and Christina seem to have the pool of blood under control.

I look up at my cleaning to see Eric and Four standing in the door way. They seem relieved to see us. "Are you all alright?" Four asks.

We all just nod. I have just finished cleaning all the foot prints off the floor. I walk over to the bin and put the paper towels into it. I walk out of the dorm and Eric follows.

"Are you sure you are okay Suzy?" Eric asks.

"It was horrible Eric. The screams, the smell, the look of Edward. I haven't seen anything like that before," I say.

Eric walks up to me and wraps his arms around me. At first I am startled and feel completely awkward. But the warmth of Eric's body and the feel of his arms around me are the most soothing thing I could want right now. I can't help but wrap my arms around his waist and lean my head on his chest. I can feel his heart beat and it sounds like mine, like it will beat right out of his chest at any moment.

"I was so worried when I heard," he says in barely a whisper. "I am so relieved that it wasn't you that got hurt."

I can't help it, the tears start to fall from my eyes and I feel I have no control over them.

"Hey, please don't cry," Eric says.

"I know it's stupid but I can't seem to stop them," I say.

"It is just the shock," he says.

"You need to try and get some rest Suzy. At least you have a few days off now." Eric lets go of me and leads me into the dormitory. Four is sitting talking to Tris and Christina. He is sitting as close as he can to Tris without giving anything away about their relationship. I go and sit next to Christina and she puts an arm around my shoulder.

I feel that I have missed out on so much. Living in Abnegation we weren't allowed to touch, even holding hands was not supposed to happen in public until you were married. I think about these rules now and I am so glad that I am here and my friends can show me some affection. I really needed it tonight and it makes me feel that I was cheated out of something special in the past.

I am starting to realise that while there are some parts of being selfless that are a good thing there are so many other rules that we had to follow that go against our human nature. We need the touch of others. We need to be able to talk openly with our friends. We shouldn't have to deflect and take the attention from ourselves. I think if I had stayed in Abnegation I would have eventually had to snap. Dauntless is teaching me not just how to fight and protect myself. It is giving me the chance to be the person I have always wanted to be, it is giving me hope for the future. I have choices now, choices I would never have been given in Abnegation. And while I might not always make the right choice, I will strive to be a better person.


	16. Chapter 16

**SKYHIGH**

 **TRIS POV**

I sit in a hallway I don't recognize. I walked here because I needed to get away from the dormitory. I still feel like I can smell the blood in there, only now it is mixed with the smell of bleach that someone used to clean the floors this morning. I wonder if I should just go and spend some time with Tobias. I would really like that, especially after last night. But I am enjoying the peace from just sitting here alone.

I hear people approaching and hope that they don't recognise me. Being the first jumper seems to give you a little more attention than the other initiates get.

"Tris?"

I look up to see Uriah standing in front of me. If there is a person in Dauntless who can make you feel better just with a smile it is Uriah. He has warmth that emanates from him.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I had a difficult night."

"Yeah, I heard about that guy Edward," he says. He gives me a small grin. I wonder what is going through his mind; it is a grin that makes me think he is up to no good. "Want to get out of here?"

"What?" I ask. "Where are you going?"

"To a little initiation ritual," he says. "Come on. We have to hurry."

Curiosity has peaked in me. I could do with a distraction. I raise myself up and start to jog next to Uriah as we try to catch up with the Dauntless-born initiates he was with before he stopped to talk to me.

"The only initiates they usually let come are the ones with older siblings in Dauntless," he says. "But they might not even notice. Just act like you belong."

"What exactly are we doing?"

"Something dangerous," he says. I see a sparkle in his eye that only the Dauntless would have. The leaden feeling I had just a few moments ago are gone and are replaced with a feeling of excitement.

"What's the Stiff doing here?" Some boy asks. I can't believe they are still looking at me as though I am from Abnegation. I was the first jumper and have passed the first stage of training. It makes me wonder do people ever forget your faction of origin or do you have to deal with this forever?

"She just saw that guy get stabbed in the eye, Gabe," Uriah says. "Give her a break, okay?"

Gabe shrugs and turns away. A few others give me sidelong glances but they don't say anything. I'm glad, I don't feel like an argument or fight today. Plus I am loving the feeling of hanging with the Dauntless-born initiates.

We walk outside the compound to the train tracks. We jump onto the train and Uriah and I go and sit against one of the walls.

"Where are we going?"

Uriah shrugs. "Zeke never told me."

"Zeke is your brother?" I ask. I had no idea they don't look anything alike.

"You know my brother?" Uriah asks.

"Four introduced us," I say. Hoping to sound casual. I don't need Uriah knowing of my relationship with Tobias just yet.

"You don't get to know. That ruins the surprise!" the girl on my left shouts. She extends her hand. "I'm Shauna."

I shake her hand but as usual it feels unnatural. I don't know if I will ever feel right shaking people's hands. Maybe I could sit with Suzy and we could practice. She is probably feeling the same way about it.

"I'm—" I start to say.

"I know who you are," she says. "Four told me about you."

By the look she is giving me I know she knows about Tobias and I. they must be really good friends for him to confide in her. I start to feel jealous. I forget that he had a life here for two years while I was stuck in Abnegation. I shouldn't expect that he kept to himself while I wasn't here but I feel like I have missed out on something. I don't know exactly what but I am realising that there is a part of him that I don't really know about.

It is making me more determined to pass initiation so that we can start our life together properly and not have to hide. It also makes me feel good that I am starting to get to know other Dauntless members, especially knowing that they are friends with Tobias because hopefully in time they can become my friends too.

"Do you know him well?" I ask. I know she does but I can't help but ask.

"Everyone knows Four," she says. "We were initiates together. I was bad at fighting, so he taught me every night after everyone was asleep." She scratches the back of her neck, her expression suddenly serious. "Nice of him."

The jealousy starts to jump into my thoughts again. I reprimand myself for this. It is stupid to be jealous. Of course Tobias would help someone if he could. He can't help himself, it doesn't matter that he left Abnegation; the teachings are burned into the back of our brains. Forever a part of us no matter how far we try to travel from them.

Shauna gets up and stands behind the members sitting in the doorway. "Here we go!" she shouts. She jumps from the train and we all follow.

I start to wonder why Tobias isn't here. Zeke and Shauna are both here I would expect him to be hanging with his friends. Then it dawns on me, I know he is afraid of heights. Whatever we are about to do must involve heights.

I jog with Uriah to catch up with the members. I look around as we move forward. The Hub is behind us, black against the clouds, but the buildings around me are dark and silent. That means we must be north of the bridge, where the city is abandoned.

We turn a corner and spread out as we walk down Michigan Avenue. South of the bridge. I lift my eyes to scan the buildings, I know where we're going; the empty Hancock building, the tallest building north of the bridge.

I wonder what we are going to do when we get there. As we get closer the members start to run. Uriah and I sprint to catch them. They push through a set of doors at the building's base. The glass in one of them is broken, so it is just a frame. I step through it instead of opening it and follow the members through an eerie, dark entryway, crunching broken glass beneath my feet.

I don't like the thought of having to walk up all the stairs if we are going to the top. It reminds me of Abnegation and how we weren't supposed to get into lifts. They were for others to use. We would use the stairs so someone else could have our spot in the elevator.

"Do the elevators work?" I ask Uriah, hoping no one else can hear me.

"Sure they do," Zeke says as he rolls his eyes. "You think I'm stupid enough not to come here early and turn on the emergency generator?"

"Yeah," says Uriah. "I kinda do."

This has Zeke putting Uriah into a headlock and they start to wrestle each other. It is strange to watch and makes me think of Caleb. We never had a relationship like this. I start to wonder what it would have been like if we had been raised in Dauntless. Would Caleb have still picked Erudite if we had?

The elevator doors open and I am relieved I don't have to walk up all those stairs. The members start to pile into one of the elevators and the initiates in the other. A girl with a shave head stomps on my toes on the way in and doesn't apologize. I grab my foot, wincing, and consider kicking her in the shins.

"What floor?" the girl with the shave head asks.

"One hundred," I say.

"How would you know that?" she asks, venom thickly entwined in her words.

"Lynn, come on," Uriah says. "Be nice."

"We're in a one-hundred-story abandoned building with some Dauntless," I retort. "Why don't you know that?"

She doesn't respond, instead she jams her finger into the button. The doors close and we start to move. I am so grateful that we didn't take the stairs. It would have taken half the day to have gotten to the top. The elevator moves so fast as we make our way to the top. I can see why Tobias isn't here; he would hate this with his fear of heights.

"I wonder how we'll get to the roof from . . ." Uriah's voice trails off.

A strong wind hits me, pushing my hair across my face. There is a gaping hole in the ceiling of the hundredth floor. Zeke props an aluminium ladder against its edge and starts to climb. The ladder creaks and sways beneath his feet, but he keeps climbing, whistling as he does. When he reaches the roof, he turns around and holds the top of the ladder for the next person.

As I am waiting for my turn to climb the ladder, I think of the sight of Zeke and the other Dauntless running through the streets with the ladder in their arms. It must have looked funny and if anyone had passed by them they would have been totally confused.

Once we are at the top the wind is so strong that I need to lean on Uriah not to topple over. Then I see what we are going to do. We're going to slide down a steel cable in a black sling from one thousand feet up.

"Oh my God," says Uriah.

All I can do is nod.

I don't know how long I have waited but watching the others is leaving me with a feeling of excitement. I am now looking forward to this. I look around at the other initiates and I can see fear in their eyes. The members have all been excited as they wait to take their turn. I can't imagine it being too bad or the members wouldn't be doing this.

Finally my turn has come. I shudder as Zeke hangs my sling from the cable. I try to climb in, but I have trouble; my hands are shaking too badly. Now that it is my turn I don't feel as brave as I did only moments ago. I hear Zeke tell me not to worry and then start having a conversation with Uriah. I'm not really listening to the banter between the brothers I am so focused on what I can see ahead.

Zeke releases the sling and for me everything is forgotten. The wind is so strong that I have tears streaming from my eyes. I feel like I am without substance, without weight. I start to focus on the view that is around me. It is amazing from up here and I get daring and throw my arms out to the side and it makes me feel as though I am flying.

My heart beats so hard it hurts, and I can't scream and I can't breathe, but I also feel everything, every vein and every fibre, every bone and every nerve, all awake and buzzing in my body as if charged with electricity. I am pure adrenaline.

Once I slow down, I run my fingers through my hair and I can feel the knots that have formed due to the wind. I am hanging about twenty feet above the ground. I work the straps that hold me loose and I look at the crowd of members that stand below me. They grasp one another's arms, forming a net of limbs beneath me.

In order to get down, I have to trust them to catch me. I have to accept that these people are mine, and I am theirs. It is a braver act than sliding down the zip line.

I wriggle forward and fall. I hit their arms hard. Wrist bones and forearms press into my back, and then my palms wrap around my arms and pull me to my feet.

"what'd you think?" Shauna says, clapping me on the shoulder.

"Um . . ." I see all the members staring at me. I am the only non Dauntless-born initiate here and I know that they are waiting to see if I really am cut out for Dauntless. This is a test just as important as any stage of the formal training we are given to these members. Lucky for me I loved it.

"When can I go again?" I ask. I cannot wipe the smile that stretches my whole face so you are able to see my teeth and I laugh. The terror of watching Edward flail around on the floor gone, blown away by the wind that coursed over my body as I hurtled toward the ground.

The other members are watching as they see a figure starting to come into view. I know it is Uriah.

"I bet he'll cry," someone says.

"Zeke's brother, cry? No way. He would get punched so hard."

"His arms are flailing!"

"He sounds like a strangled cat," I say. Everyone laughs. I can't wait for him to reach the ground so I can tell him what he sounded like from here.

* * *

I walk into the dining hall and I can still smell the wind on me. I am standing among a crowd of Dauntless and I feel like one of them. Shauna wave's goodbye to me as the crowd breaks apart. I walk toward the table where Christina, Al and Will sit, gaping at me.

"Where were you?" asks Christina. "What were you doing with them?"

"Uriah . . . you know, the Dauntless-born who was on our capture the flag team?" I say. "He was leaving with some members and he begged them to let me come along. They didn't really want me there. Some girl named Lynn stepped on me."

"They may not have wanted you there then," says Will quietly, "but they seem to like you now."

"Yeah," I say. I can't deny it. "I'm glad to be back though. Where's Suzy?"

"We haven't seen her, we thought she must have been with you," Christina says.

I wonder where she has gotten to today. I hope that she has had a great day. Anything to forget the horror of last night.

My thoughts are on Suzy when Christina starts to tell me about almost punching someone from Erudite who was trying to find out information about Abnegation leadership. The stories always surface around this time of year. They have been getting worse ever since Tobias transferred out.

Will has gotten upset that Christina is not telling the whole story. So he starts to tell the story again just with more detail. I just nod so that they think I am listening but all I can think about is my time on the zip line and how much fun I had with the Dauntless members.

I know that I am desperate to become a member so I can be with Tobias. But now I can start to see that I will also have some great friends.

I am taken from my thoughts with Suzy coming and sitting next to me.

"Where have you been all day?" I ask.

She blushes and it makes me think that she has spent her day with Eric. "I will tell you later," she whispers in my ear. She then turns to the group and explains that she just wanted to be alone and went and sat on the roof at the top of the compound. Telling them she just wanted a break from being underground so much and wanted to try and forget the events of last night. The group all nods their heads, which means they believe what she has told them.


	17. Chapter 17

**FEELINGS**

 **SUZY POV**

I am walking towards the Pit when I see Tris running somewhere with Uriah and a bunch of Dauntless-borns. I don't blame her. After the events of last night I don't feel like being anywhere near the dormitory. I start to look in the windows of some of the shops here in Dauntless.

I have never seen so many stores and choices of things to buy. I stop in front of the jewellery store and I am mesmerised by what I am seeing. In Abnegation you only wore a watch and once married a wedding ring. Usually you would be given your grandmother or great grandmothers wedding ring because it was very self indulgent to buy such a thing. Here in Dauntless there are so many shiny gems and colours that I don't really know where to look first. I see that I will be able to purchase different shapes of metal and coloured gems to go on my pierced ears.

"See anything you like?"

I am startled out of my thoughts and look up to see Eric standing next to me with a smile on his face.

"It's all so beautiful," I say. "I never knew there was so much variety."

"You haven't seen a jewellery store before?"

"In Abnegation we didn't have any shops. Everyone wore the same outfits so we didn't have to worry about choice. It was seen as self indulgent to go to any of the other factions to shop."

"Would you like to go in and try anything on?"

"No. I don't think I am ready for that. I find it hard enough just to go clothes shopping. I think it may take me a little longer to go into a shop as extravagant as this one," I say.

"Well let me know when you are ready and we can go in together," Eric says.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"I like watching you discover new things. You start to get pink cheeks like you are remembering how you should act in Abnegation but then it is like you all of a sudden remember you are now Dauntless and then your eyes start to sparkle. Like you are going to remember the exact moment you saw something for the first time," Eric says.

I know I have started to blush. It feels nice knowing that Eric wants to spend time with me. I didn't realise how much attention he had been paying me.

"What are you doing today?" Eric asks.

"I didn't have a plan. I saw Tris leave with Uriah and some Dauntless-borns," I say.

"That's interesting, they don't usually let transfers go zip-lining with them," Eric says.

"Zip-lining?"

"They go to the top of the Hancock building and they are put into a sling and then they go down a metal wire until they reach the ground."

"I don't think I would like that. Although it sounds like something Tris would love to do," I say.

Eric gives a bit of a chuckle, "that's why they don't usually take transfers. It's a bit much for them to handle."

"I'm sure Tris will fit in just fine," I say with a tinge of jealousy in my voice. I don't mean to be but Tris just seems to be so comfortable here.

"So back to you Suzy. I was going to have a quiet day at home, cook some lunch and just relax. Would you like to join me?"

"You cook?" I ask. Surprise is definitely in my voice.

"Yes I can cook. I don't like to eat in the dining hall all the time. It is nice to have a bit of quiet every now and then," he says.

"Then I would love to join you Eric," I say.

* * *

I am sitting on Eric's kitchen bench while he works away in the kitchen. It seems a funny site to me. He has surprised me with the knowledge that he cooks and watching him I can see he is very comfortable in the kitchen. If I told any of the other initiates about this I am sure that they wouldn't believe me.

Once he has everything done we go and sit at the dining table. This isn't the first time I have been here but it is the first time we have eaten alone here. We eat our lunch in a comfortable silence.

I offer to clean up after we have finished our lunch but Eric would not let me. He said I am his guest and that he will fix it all up later. I finally get him to compromise and we do the dishes together. After that is done we go and sit on his couch.

"Suzy I don't think your father likes me very much," Eric says.

I'm a little shocked but I do remember them having words on visiting day.

"Why do you think that?" I ask.

"I asked your dad for permission for us to date once your initiation is over and he wasn't very enthusiastic about it," He says.

"I don't doubt that," I say. "Wait you want to court me?"

"Court, date whatever you would like to call it, yes I would."

"Why?" I can't believe he likes me. What should I do? I don't know about this, it's all a little scary to me. I'm sure he can see the shock written all over my face.

"Suzy you are the first girl who makes me feel that when you look at me you can see straight through me. Most girls here just want my attention because I am a leader. But I feel like you can see past that. That you are looking at me not what I let other people see but the part of me that is real. The part that I don't let others see."

"I don't care that your dad doesn't want me too. I only did that as a courtesy. I am still going to do it whether he wants me to or not," he says. "I haven't been able to have anyone in my life because of the hold Jeanine has over me. But soon that will be over and I want to get to know you better, spend time with you. Take you on dates."

"I don't understand why. Caleb left me and he had promised we were going to be together. He made me think I was special and then he ran as fast as he could away from me," I say. I don't know why someone like Eric would want to be with me when I couldn't even hold onto Caleb.

"Caleb was a fool. A little boy who thought he was smarter than the people around him. He was fake and a coward. But you are the better person Suzy and I bet you are a lot happier than he will ever be. I came from Erudite. I know what the people are like their and he will always be trying to outsmart the person next to him. He will always be watching his back wondering if the people around him like him for him or for what he can bring to the project they are working on. He is a snake so he will probably fit in really well. He not only fooled you but he fooled his family too. Don't feel bad for what he did."

"Caleb is the one missing out. Not only on you but any real happiness. They aren't happy people in Erudite; they are so busy looking down on all the other factions that they forget that there is more to life than scalpels and microscopes."

"But you think I can see through you but I couldn't with Caleb. What's to say you have made a mistake about me?" I say.

"Maybe I wanted you to see through me. Maybe I was ready to let someone see me," he says.

"Eric I don't know if I'm ready for that. What if you decide you don't like me anymore? How do I know you won't turn back into the person you were before? So much is happening and I haven't even passed initiation yet," I say.

"Suzy I think you are more likely to leave me than I am to leave you. I want someone real. Someone true. That's you Suzy. As soon as we have stopped Jeanine that's it for me, I want to be me not some puppet; I want to feel whole again. I have spent the last two years doing what Jeanine has told me to do. If it wasn't for Natalie helping me I would have had so much blood on my hands. I was lucky the day I met Natalie and I will always be grateful for her help. I would be a shell of a person if she hadn't helped me."

"I want a future and I want you to be part of that future. I can't promise that we will last but I want to do everything I possibly can to at least try. I've never been in a proper relationship so I'm sure to fuck up somewhere along the line. But that is where you come in, I know you won't put up with my crap and you will make me think about what I am doing. I need you Suzy. I want you."

"I'm scared," I whisper.

"Of me?" he asks.

"No not you. I just . . . it's just. I felt so humiliated when Caleb transferred. I . . . I had our whole lives mapped out, I thought I knew who I was. But I didn't. I planned everything around making him happy and then all of a sudden it was all gone. Now I am in Dauntless trying to get through this crazy initiation. I've shot guns, thrown knives and I've even beaten people up. My life has gone in a completely different direction and I'm scared because I'm loving it. I'm scared because I'm frightened someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and say 'you don't belong here you have to go back to Abnegation now.' I'm scared that I won't pass training and then I will have to go to the factionless."

"You will pass training so you don't have to worry about that. If there is one thing I have learnt it is people from Abnegation don't have many fears, so you will be fine. No one will ever make you go back to Abnegation unless you want to visit your parents on Visiting Day. You just need to believe in yourself Suzy. I know it hurt what Caleb did. But we aren't all like that I promise. I don't want to do anything to hurt you. I just want to see you smile."

"Thank you Eric," I say and I can't help but smile as I say this. He is right I do need to believe in myself. I lean over and I give Eric a hug. I love the way I feel when I am in his arms. I feel safe and warm and it gives me hope that I do have a future here in Dauntless.


	18. Chapter 18

**STAGE TWO**

 **ERIC POV**

I am sitting in the control room watching the fear simulation room on the monitors. Gus is not happy that I am here. But I really don't give a shit. Four has already motioned that he has had to delete the footage for both Uriah and Tris today. Shit! We are in trouble here. We made sure that Uriah and Tris followed each other so that if we did have to delete footage we could explain it away as a computer error. They are the only two that we know are divergent but it is still possible that there could be more.

Suzy is having her simulation now, I hate having to watch this. Especially when I can't see what her fear is, I can only see her facial expressions. Fuck! Four just gave the signal. I rush out of the control room and down to the fear simulation room. I burst through the door just as Suzy is waking up. Four is playing with the computer and I run over and give Suzy a hug.

"Suzy here is my key. I need you to go and find Uriah and Tris. Take them to my apartment and I need you to all stay there until Four and I get there. Do not talk to anyone or tell them where you are going. Okay?" I say.

Suzy leaves the room without question and I now turn to Four. "What are we going to do?" I ask him.

"Calm down. We will fix this up. Ring Erudite; tell them that we have had to halt the fear simulations because there is something wrong with our computers. I will get Lauren to do her computer thing that she does so that Erudite can't find out that we are manually deleting records. Go out and tell the rest of the initiates they have the day off," Four says.

Not only is my girlfriend in trouble but so is Fours' and his best friends brother. This couldn't be a worst time for this to be happening. Jeanine is going to love this. She will think we have found more divergent's and we are going to have to find a way to hide it.

"How are we going to hide them from Jeanine?" I ask. "She will know that something is wrong."

"Stop panicking. We will get through it. Now go and tell the initiates to go. I need to find Lauren. Once I have found Lauren you can then go and ring Jeanine. I will meet you at your place. Hopefully Jeanine is too busy with her attack plans to worry about us. I better tell Max we have a problem too."

I walk out of the room and see the initiates sitting around waiting for their turn. "There is something wrong with the computer, you can have the rest of the day off," I say.

They all sit there just staring at me. How the hell are these people going to defend Dauntless if we ever have a problem? I just keep walking they will move once I'm gone I am sure of it.

* * *

I reach my apartment and I am not in a good mood. Max doesn't give a shit about the computer problem. But that is Max; just find another computer he says. So that is one less person to worry about. Jeanine on the other hand has decided she wants to be in Dauntless for the rest of the fear simulations.

I walk in the door to find Tris, Suzy and Uriah all sitting in the lounge room. I am just about to say hi when there is a knock at my door. I open the door to find Four and Zeke standing there. What is Zeke doing at my apartment? It doesn't really matter at this stage we need all the help we can get.

Four walks past me and into the room mumbling, "We are going to need Zeke's help."

Four goes and sits next to Tris and puts his arm around her.

"Are you two together?" Asks Uriah.

"Yes they are. Now we have more important things to discuss right now," I say.

Uriah just shrugs and keeps his attention on me. "You three," I say pointing at the three initiates, "are all divergent."

"What?" says Suzy.

"Suzy were you aware the simulation wasn't real?" Four asks.

"Yes," she says.

"Fuck!" I say. Not loud but everyone has turned and looked at me.

"Eric you need to stay calm," Four says. "We can get them through this."

"How Four?" I ask. "Jeanine is going to be here tomorrow to oversee the rest of the fear simulations with her little band of scientist. They are going to be watching every move we make."

"That's why Zeke is here," he says.

"How is Zeke going to fix this? It isn't party night. This isn't a game of Dare. Jeanine is going to be wanting blood here," I say.

"Zeke is going to take Uriah through his fear landscape," Four says.

"Awesome I get to see big bro's fears," Uriah calls out with a big grin on his face.

"Pay attention Uriah this is serious. One wrong move and you will be dead or a lab rat over in Erudite," I snarl at him.

The smile is wiped from his face and I can see everyone but Four looking a little green.

"How will this help?" Zeke asks.

"We will each take one of you through our fear landscapes. We will show you how you need to act when you are in your fear simulations. We need you to act like a Dauntless would when you are in there. If you don't' then we are all in trouble," Four says.

"Did you get Lauren to screw up the computer?" I ask Four.

"Yeah she has put a virus on there so as soon as the computer is turned on everything will be erased," he says.

"But Erudite will still have ways to retrieve the information," I say.

"Maybe, but we switched out the hard drives. It isn't the computer they think it is. Even if they retrieve the old data it isn't relative to the fear simulations."

"Where is the hard drive now?" I ask.

"I've hidden it. I don't want anyone to know where it is. That way if anything goes wrong Jeanine can't get the data and everyone is safe," Four says.

It makes sense but I also get the sense that until my mother is safe Four wants a safe guard in place in case I turn back to Jeanine. I know I'm not going too but I can't blame him for thinking I might.

"Good. When are we going to do the fear landscapes?" I ask.

"I think we should use the old fear landscape room. Nobody goes down there and the cameras have been disabled so no one will see us. I think we should go after lunch. The sooner we get this over with the better," Four says. "If Jeanine is going to be here tomorrow then we need to be ready for her. We have to keep everyone safe. We also need a plan if it goes wrong. What are we going to do if she finds out one of them is divergent?"

"Shit! I didn't think of that. Leave it with me I will work something out. Do you all understand how serious this is?"

I don't mean to scare them but this is serious. I watch as the all nod their heads. Good.

"Suzy you Tris and Uriah go and have some lunch. Uriah after lunch, take the girls down to the old fear landscape room. We will meet you down there. Don't tell your friends where you are going or what you are doing. If they ask tell them you three are running an errand for me. That should scare them away."

They stand up and go to leave. Four gives Tris a hug I don't know what he is saying to her but she gives him a small smile. I can see she is worried. As Suzy goes to walk past I give her a hug and try to reassure her that everything is going to be alright.

"Can someone please explain to me what the fuck is going on?" Zeke says. "What is it with the Stiffs? You two are the most eligible bachelors in Dauntless and you are running around not only with initiates but Stiffs? Jesus!"

"Zeke," Four says in his most menacing instructor voice.

"What? It's the truth. And when the hell did Eric become the nice guy?" Zeke asks. "My brother's life is on the line and you two are hugging Stiffs. I think I get to be a little freaked out."

"You explain it all to him. I don't have the patience to deal with his crap right now," I say. I have never liked Zeke but I know Four trusts him with his life. So it is better to leave it up to Four. He will be able to talk to him better than I will. I would probably end up hitting him. Plus we really need him. I know Four doesn't want Uriah going through his fear landscape. I also know I sure as hell don't want him in mine either. Uriah's a good kid but shit we would never hear the end of it if he saw our fears. I don't think there would be enough Dauntless cake to shut him up!


	19. Chapter 19

**SECRET MEETINGS**

 **FOUR POV**

The fear landscapes went well yesterday. I'm confident they can all get through the rest of their fear simulations without showing their divergence. I hope so anyway. Eric assures me he has a plan in place in case something goes wrong. I don't ask him what it is; better to not know unless I have too. I walk in to the dining room to see Zeke and Uriah sitting together.

"Hey," I say as I sit down with them.

"Four," they both say at the same time.

We aren't talking, just eating. Uriah is sitting there with a gigantic piece of Dauntless cake. Who can blame him? I give him a look and then motion to the cake.

"If I'm going to die then my last meal is going to be cake," he says.

"Fair enough," I say. "But you aren't going to die Uriah; we're all going to get through this."

"Well I'm not taking any chances. Plus I will use any excuse to eat cake for breakfast," he says. Normally we would probably laugh at this. But not today.

We go back to eating when all of a sudden there is a deathly silence that comes over the dining hall. I look up to see Eric with Jeanine another woman and I can't believe my eyes. Caleb. Today is not going to go well. This is going to throw Tris. I know she is going to be upset that her brother has become Jeanine's lap dog. I need to find Tris, I need to warn her. I get up from the table and start towards the door. Oh god I think, this doesn't just affect Tris. How is Suzy going to react? Does Eric realise who Caleb is?

"Four," Jeanine says as I try to pass by.

"Jeanine," I say. I haven't spoken to her since she made me go through my fear simulation with her watching. When I thought she had killed Amar. The thought that she didn't really kill him brings a smirk to my face. A small victory towards this evil woman.

"I have brought you a new computer from Erudite for the fear simulations today. I want to make sure we don't have any more problems," she says.

"Well you never know Jeanine. Computers aren't above problems," I say.

"Yes that is true. Hopefully we have ironed out any bugs in the system."

"I need to go and get set up," I say.

"Take Cara with you," she says.

I look at Cara and I nod my head. She looks familiar but I can't think where I would have seen her before.

"Eric I need to speak to you?" I say. We walk out of the dining hall.

"This isn't a good time Four," he says clearly agitated.

"Do you realise who that guy is with Jeanine?"

"No, I didn't take any notice when she introduced me," he says. I groan.

"Eric that is Tris's brother. Suzy's ex," I say.

"Fuck, FUCK!" he shouts.

"I will try and find Tris and Suzy while I have Cara with me. We need them to be ready for this and him being here is not going to help either of them," I say.

"Okay. Fuck, okay. You try and find them. Cara is Will's sister," he says. That's where I've seen her before; she is the woman Tris wanted to deck on Visiting Day.

"I can use that as an excuse to find the girls, I will take Cara to see Will," I say.

"Be careful," he says.

"Yeah, you too."

* * *

Cara follows me in silence. Thank goodness. I don't really know what to say to her, plus she is here with Jeanine so I know I can't trust her. We walk into the transfer's dormitory and we see Tris, Suzy, Will and Christina are here.

"Will," Cara calls out and runs over to see her brother.

"Tris, Suzy I need to talk to you," I say.

I walk into the bathroom because it is about as private as we are going to get. The girls follow me.

"We sought of have a bit of a problem," I say.

Tris can see my anxiety and she grabs my hand. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Tris to steady me. They are both staring at me.

"Caleb is here," I say.

"What? Why?" Tris asks. I can see the pain in Suzy's eyes. I am feeling sorry for her right now. I don't know how I would react if I was in her shoes. At least Eric is going to be there for her today.

"I don't know. He is here with Jeanine. So he is probably going to be watching your fear simulations today."

"How is Suzy supposed to get through this with him here?" Tris asks. I want to smile, she always thinks she is not selfless enough for Abnegation but here she is worried about her friend, not even thinking that it will be just as hard for her.

"Suzy you can do this. I know you can," I say. "Eric and I are going to be there with you, Tris will be just outside. You can get through this, you both can. Just remember what we told you last night. You will be fine."

"It's okay Tris. I can do this. I don't want him to know that he hurt me. I want to show him that I am happy here. Which is the truth, I am so much happier here than I ever was in Abnegation. Really I should thank him. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him," Suzy says.

"Just remember what we said, you both will do fine. I need to go. I have to make sure everything is set up. I will see you soon," I say. I squeeze Tris' hand and walk out to see what Cara and Will are doing.

"Cara we need to go," I say. Cara looks up and nods. She then gives both Will and Christina a hug and she follows me out of the room.

"I'm not a fan of Jeanine," Cara says.

I look at her with surprise written all over my face. I wasn't expecting her to say this.

"I don't believe in what she is doing," she says.

"Then why are you here?"

"I want to stop her. I need to be close to her to be able to do that," she says.

"You're not talking about the fear simulation are you?"

"No. I know you don't like Jeanine and I'm sure you want to stop her just as much as I do," she says.

"Cara we can't talk here. Can we meet tonight?" I ask.

"Yes," is all she says.

"I will find somewhere we can meet and I will let you know. This better not be a trap," I say.

"It isn't," She says. We walk the rest of the way to the fear simulation room in silence. I need to talk to Eric. We need to work out where we can meet Cara. Having someone on the inside at Erudite is just what we need. Especially if we want to get Eric's mum out safely.

* * *

It feels like we have been watching fear simulations for hours, which we have. All the initiates have gone through except Suzy. Uriah and Tris both got through their simulations without a hitch. Eric has been watching Caleb the whole time. It is like he is studying him, like he is prey and Eric is ready to pounce at any moment.

Suzy walks into the room. She sits in the chair; she didn't look at Caleb at all. I'm really proud of her; I can see the worry etched on Eric's face.

The simulation starts. Suzy is in the Pit her friends are three or four metres from her. Eric and I are also there. Then she turns around and her parents are there as well. Her mother is holding out gray clothing to her. She is looking confused. She turns back to look at her friends and she sees we all have our backs to her.

"You don't belong here Susan," Mrs Black says. "You need to come back to Abnegation, it is where you belong."

I am taken from watching the simulation when I hear Caleb start to laugh.

"What do you thinks so funny," Eric almost growls at him.

"It's true she doesn't belong here. Look at her, the notion that she is here is ridiculous," Caleb says and continues to laugh.

I am trying to watch the simulation, there is no use listening to Caleb. He really doesn't know Suzy at all. Next I hear a whack and a thud and I turn to see Caleb unconscious on the floor. Eric has punched him. This is not going to end well.

"Eric go outside," I say. "Cara make sure Caleb is alright."

Eric walks out the door. Cara is kneeling on the floor trying to wake Caleb up. Jeanine has not moved. She has just kept staring at the screen. I can see the hope in her eyes. She is hoping that Suzy will show her that she is Divergent. I think she is going to be completely disappointed.

The simulation finishes. Suzy has not given Jeanine what she wants. She sits up in the chair and looks around and sees Caleb still on the floor, he is awake now but hasn't risen yet.

"What happened?" Suzy asks.

"Eric," I say. I can see the start of a smile on her face. "You can go Suzy, thank you."

"Well?" I say directly at Jeanine. "Did you find what you were looking for?

"Thank you Four. I will have Cara stay and watch over the rest of the fear simulations. I am sure you can find her some accommodation for a few days. I don't think it will be necessary for me to stay. Cara knows what we are looking for," Jeanine says.

"Isn't that what Eric is here for?" I ask. It will be good if Cara stays, we can then meet with her without it looking to suspicious. But I can't let Jeanine know I am happy about it.

"An extra pair of eyes is always beneficial," she says. "I will go and talk to Max, let him know what is going on. Caleb get off the floor, I think you have embarrassed yourself enough for one day. I thought you would be an asset for our excursion here but obviously I was wrong."

"I will escort Caleb to the infirmary. He should see a doctor," I say.

"Fine," Jeanine says.

With that Jeanine walks out of the room with Cara and Caleb following behind. Once they are out of the room I can't help but start to laugh. Some from relief that everyone got through their simulations. But mostly watching Caleb get decked and then called out by Jeanine. It was awesome; I can't wait to tell Tris. Especially after he all but ignored her when she came into the room. I always knew that Caleb was a bit off but to be that cold towards his sister. They had been living together as a family only a few weeks ago and now he is acting like he had never met her before. I'm so glad Eric punched him.

"Come on," I say to Caleb.

* * *

I decide I better go and see how Caleb is doing. I walk into the room and Tris is standing next to his bed with her arms crossed.

"I can't believe you chose this Beatrice. These people are savages," Caleb says.

"As if you can talk Caleb. You went to the faction that our father hates and my name is Tris now," Tris says.

Caleb scoffs at Tris and then says, "Your name is Beatrice. You are starting to sound like the rest of the hellions here."

"Shut it Caleb. You have no idea about me or anyone else from Dauntless. How could you treat Suzy the way you did? You lied to her. You lied to me; you lied to your family. What sort of person have you become?" Tris says with venom in her voice.

"You came here to be with him," Caleb spits at Tris while pointing to me.

"Four has nothing to do with this Caleb. We are talking about you," she spits back at him. "I can see why Eric hit you now, you deserved it."

"What is it with you all changing your names here?" he asks. "A number Tobias really? What do they drug you like the Amity or something?"

"His name is Four. I am now Tris. Respect our choices or there will be consequences Caleb," Tris says.

"What could you possibly do to me Beatrice?"

Tris walks closer to Caleb's bed and she punches him in the face. Caleb is unconscious again. I can't help but start laughing.

"My name is Tris," she says and walks out of his room. I follow still laughing.

I see a nurse walking down the corridor and I say to her, "You better go and check on our Erudite friend. He seems to have had a relapse."

With that Tris and I walk out of the infirmary laughing.

"Will I get in trouble for that?" she asks me.

"No. We will just say he isn't thinking straight after Eric hit him," I say.

"I couldn't help it. He made me so angry," she says.

"Eric had exactly the same reaction. It seems he brings it out in all of us," I say. I can't help but laugh again. "You better go and see how Suzy is doing. I have a meeting I need to get too."

* * *

I knock on Eric's door and it is quickly opened by Eric. I walk in to see Cara sitting on a couch. I go over and sit on the other couch.

"We have been discussing ways in which we can stop the attack," Eric says.

"Come up with anything good?" I ask.

"We think we have a plan but we are going to need a bit of help for it to work," Cara says.

"How much help?" I ask.

"We are going to need people in Abnegation, Erudite and Dauntless," Eric says.

"Okay, well Abnegation and Dauntless I can do. But Cara you are going to have to be the one who sorts things in Erudite," I say.

We sit discussing our plans for hours, we think we have everything covered but we still need to find a way to get Eric's mum out of Erudite.

"Cara there is one more thing we need your help with," I say. "Jeanine is holding Eric's mum hostage in Erudite. We need to get her out of there before this all goes down but not too early either."

"Is she being held in a cell or at her home?" Cara asks.

"She is at her home," Eric says.

"Can you give me her details? Where are you going to send her?" Cara asks.

"I'll write the details down for you. We have a safe house in Abnegation for her."

"Are you sure Abnegation is the right place? What if our plan doesn't work?" Cara asks.

"It is the safest place because Jeanine won't look for her there. If we don't stop this than the people we are trusting there will help her," Eric says.

"Okay well I will get something organised so that we can get her out. How many more days have we got of fear simulations?" Cara says.

"We have four more days of fear simulations then the initiates get a week off before the fear landscape," I say.

"That should give us plenty of time to work all of this out," Cara says.


	20. Chapter 20

**PROGRESS REPORT**

 **TRIS POV**

I walk into the dormitory after finishing another simulation. It looks like most of the Dauntless-born and transfers are here, they are crowded around Peter. He is holding a piece of paper in both his hands.

"The mass exodus of the children of Abnegation leaders cannot be ignored or attributed to coincidence," he reads. "The recent transfer of Susan and Robert Black along with Beatrice and Caleb Prior, the children of Andrew Prior, calls into question the soundness of Abnegation's values and teachings."

Cold creeps up my spine. I look over to Suzy and can see that she looks as though she is in pain. I see Christina standing near the edge of the crowd; she has a worried look on her face. I can't move. I can't believe Erudite are now attacking my father.

"Why else would the children of such an important man decide that the lifestyle he has set out for them is not an admirable one?" Peter continues. "Molly Atwood, a fellow Dauntless transfer, suggests a disturbed and abusive upbringing might be to blame. 'I heard her talking in her sleep once,' Molly says. 'She was telling her father to stop doing something. I don't know what it was, but it gave her nightmares.'"

"What?" I demand. Well I try to but my voice comes out strangled and scratchy, and I have to clear my throat and say it again. "What?"

Peter stops reading, and a few people turn around. Christina gives me a pitying look along with some others standing near me. Most are smirking but the worst is Peter who has a wide smile on his face.

"Give me that," I say, holding out my hand. My face burns.

"But I'm not done reading," her replies. His eyes scan the paper again. "However, perhaps the answer lies not in a morally bereft man, but in the corrupted ideals of an entire faction. Perhaps the answer is that we have entrusted our city to a group of proselytrotising tyrants who do not know how to lead us out of poverty and into prosperity."

I storm up to Peter and try to snatch the paper from his hands, but he holds it up, high above my head so I can't reach it unless I jump, and I won't jump. I am about to stomp on his foot when Suzy comes up and kicks him in the crotch. He doubles over in pain.

I throw myself at Molly, hoping the force of the impact will surprise her and knock her down, but before I do any damage I feel hands grab around my waist.

"That's my father!" I scream. "My father, you coward!"

Uriah pulls me away from her, lifting me off the ground and dragging me out of the room. Suzy following behind us. Suzy slams the door and Uriah lets me go.

"What the hell Uriah? Didn't you think I could handle myself against that piece of trash Candor?"

"Tris calm down. It's not worth it. We have bigger problems to worry about. Come on let's get away from here," Uriah says.

* * *

Uriah, Suzy and I walk into the dining hall. There are only a few people in here as it is between meals. Uriah walks into the kitchen and talks to the staff. He comes out with three large pieces of Dauntless cake. Trust Uriah to know the right person to get the cake off between meals.

We find a table away from the other people in here and sit down and start eating our cake.

"Thanks Uriah, I needed this," I say.

"Cake is always the answer," says Uriah.

"How did your fear simulations go?" Suzy asks.

"I didn't have any problems. How about you two?" Uriah says.

"Fine," I say.

"No problems. But I'll be glad when it is all over," says Suzy.

"I'm glad it is Cara that is watching now and not Jeanine. It takes a bit of the pressure off," I say. Uriah and Suzy nod while stuffing their mouths with the last of their cakes.

"I just hope I pass initiation," Suzy says.

"We will all be okay," Uriah says. As always he is upbeat. I wonder how much that has to do with the cake he has just finished.

"What job would you like to pick?" I ask.

"I'm going to pick the control room. Then I can work with Zeke. I am also thinking of training the Dauntless-born," Uriah says.

"I would like Ambassador. What about you Tris?" Suzy says. That's what I was thinking of doing but I don't want to tell Suzy that. If I do she would probably tell me to take it instead of her and I think she would be good in the position.

"I'm not sure," I say.

"You could train the transfers with Four?" Uriah says with a big grin. "You could also become a leader with Four and Eric."

"You really want me to work with Four don't you Uriah?" I say.

"Well why not? It could be fun. Your times are fast in the simulations so you are going to go up the rankings. Hopefully you will be second after me and then you can choose whatever you want," Uriah says.

"You're funny Uriah. You better watch out, Tris and I could beat you," Suzy says.

Uriah starts laughing. "No way. I am going to come in first. Then I have bragging rights over Zeke. He only came in fourth in his year."

"There you all are," says Christina. "We have been looking everywhere for you." She has walked into the dining hall with Will and Al following behind.

"We are going to get new tattoos," Christina says.

"You're getting a new tattoo Christina, Will and I aren't," says Al.

"I'll get another one," I say.

"Well let's go then," says Christina.

"Are you coming with us Uriah?" I ask.

"No. I better go and find Marlene and Lynn. I want to see how they are after the simulation today," he says.

We all get up and leave the dining hall.

* * *

Ahead of me, Al gives Christina a piggyback ride. She shrieks as he charges through he crowd. People give him a wide birth, when they can.

My shoulder still burns. Christina and I both got a tattoo of the Dauntless seal. Will, Suzy and I walk behind Christina and Al.

Al almost drops Christina, and she slaps her hands around the first thing she can grab, which just happens to be his face. He cringes and adjusts his grip on her legs. At a glance, Al seems happy, but there is something heavy about even his smiles. I am worried about him.

I see Tobias standing by the chasm, a group of people around him. He laughs so hard he has to grab the railing for balance. Judging by the bottle in his hand and the brightness of his face, he's intoxicated, or on his way there. I keep forgetting that he has had a life here for the last two years without me. It's good to see him this happy but it also makes me feel slightly jealous.

"Uh-oh," says Will. "Instructor alert."

"At least it's not Eric," I say. "He'd probably make us play chicken or something."

"Sure, but Four is scary. Remember when he put the gun to Peter's head? I think Peter wet himself."

"Peter deserved it," I say firmly. I forget that only Suzy and I have seen Tobias as anything other than Four.

"Tris!" Tobias calls out. Will and I exchange a look, half surprise and half apprehension. Although I think we are thinking very differently about what is happening. Will has no idea about Tobias and I. Tobias pulls away from the railing and walks up to me. Ahead of us, Al and Christina stop running, and Christina slides to the ground. I don't blame them for staring. They don't know about our relationship either.

"You look different." His words, normally crisp, are now sluggish.

"So do you," I say. "What are you doing?"

"Flirting with death," he replies with a laugh. "Drinking near the chasm. Probably not a good idea."

"No, it isn't." I'm not sure I like Tobias this way. I'm afraid he is going to say something that could out our relationship. I am staring at him, trying to let him know he needs to be careful with what he says.

"I'd ask you to hang out with us, but you're not supposed to see me this way."

I am trying not to laugh. Drinking doesn't suit him at all.

"What way?" I ask. "Drunk?"

"Yeah . . . well, no." His voice softens. "I can't wait until initiation is over," he says. I hope I am the only one who can hear what he has said.

"Not long to go now," I say. I'm trying to stay calm, unaffected by what he has said.

"I'm counting the days down."He puts his lips next to my ear and says, "You look good, Tris."

His breath on my ear makes me shiver. I laugh, knowing he won't remember any of this tomorrow. "Do me a favour and stay away from the chasm, okay?"

"Of course." He winks at me.

I can't help but smile. Will clears his throat, but I don't want to turn away from Tobias, as he walks back to his friends I am wishing I could walk over and hang with them. But I can't, not yet anyway.

Then Al rushes at me like a rolling boulder and throws me over his shoulder. I shriek, my face hot.

"Come on, little girl," he says. "I'm taking you to dinner."

I rest my elbows on Al's back and wave at Tobias as he carries me away.

"I thought I would rescue you," Al says as we walk away. He sets me down. "What was that all about?"

He is trying to sound lighthearted, but he asks the question almost sadly. He still cares too much about me.

"Yeah, I think we'd all like to know the answer to that question," says Christina in a singsong voice. "What did he say to you?"

"Nothing."I shake my head. "He was drunk. He didn't even know what he was saying." I clear my throat. "That's why I was grinning. It's . . . funny to see him that way."

"Right," says Will. "Couldn't possibly be because—"

I elbow Will hard in the ribs before he can finish his sentence. He obviously could hear our conversation. I don't need him telling everyone about it, especially not Al. I don't want to make him feel worse. I see Suzy laughing next to me.

I don't think she would find it funny if they found out about her spending time with Eric. I give her a glare and she stops.

* * *

Another day is ending and it won't be long until we have finished stage two of initiation. I can't wait for it to be over. I have had enough of facing my fears. With the added stress of having Cara here watching over us I will be glad when I don't have to worry about whether Erudite find me out or not. I walk out of the Pit and start to head towards the place where this journey had started.

I reach the net and climb the stairs of the wooden platform. I pull myself up onto the net and I lie in the middle looking up at the night sky. Glad to be away from the constant chatter of my friends. Everyone's trying to take their minds of their simulations which means lots and lots of chatter. Especially Christina, I can't believe how much that girl can talk.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," Tobias says.

"Well you found me," I say. "How's your head?"

He gets up onto the net with me and laughs. "It's fine. I'm sorry about last night," he says.

"I didn't have a problem with what you were saying. It was where you were saying it that concerned me," I say.

"Yeah, I think I need to be a little more careful," he says. He lies down next to me and I move over so that my head is lying on his chest and he has his arm around me. "What are you doing here Tris?"

"I just needed a break. Christina won't stop talking; I think she is trying to take her mind off the simulations. I just needed some quiet time."

"It's almost over," he says.

"I know," I say. We just lie here for a long time not saying anything. I'm just enjoying being in his company. I can't wait for it all to be over then we will be able to spend as much time as we want together, we won't have to hide.

 **ERIC POV**

I sit down on my couch glad that my day is over. I have been watching the fear simulations from the control room. I can't see what is happening on the screens in the room and it is boring as all hell. What makes it worse is Gus bitching about me being there.

There is a knock at my door. I wish it was Suzy but I know she is with Tris and their friends, I saw them walking though the pit earlier. I open the door and Cara is standing there.

"Come in and sit," I say. We walk into my living room and sit on the couches.

"I don't really know what to do with myself," Cara says. "It's not like I can walk around here. People don't like seeing someone from Erudite here."

This makes me laugh. "I wouldn't want to walk around here if I was from a different faction either," I say.

"I would like to spend some time with my brother but I know that would be detrimental to him, especially while he is still an initiate."

"I can get you some time with him if you like. We just have to be careful about it. Will you be leaving now that the simulations are over?"

"Yes. I will be leaving tomorrow morning. I have a lot to do between now and Jeanine's plan."

"I really appreciate what you are doing for me and my mother," I say.

"I think that is the easiest part of our plans. I hope we can get this done. I don't like to think of Will being under mind control, killing people."

"I just hope we can stop it. I am still going to have to inject everyone. So if anything goes wrong on our end we could still have everyone under simulation."

"I think we should be alright. Even if we fail in one area we should have enough done to stop it from happening."

"I hope so Cara. I really hope so."

* * *

Fear simulations are finally over. Suzy, Tris and Uriah were all able to get through without showing they are divergent. It is such a relief. Now I have to go to the transfer's dormitory and give them their progress report.

I walk inside and go straight to the chalkboard. I flip it round so the initiates who are in the room can't see what I am writing. I know there will be a few upset initiates once they see where they are now ranked. I just hope we don't have any trouble like we did at the end of stage one.

Once I am finished I look up to see that the eight initiates are all standing around waiting to see what is written on the board. I flip the board around and wait to see the reactions.

Tris's name is in first spot and everyone has turned to look at her. Peter is in second position but only just. Suzy's times were faster but Peter had done just enough from stage one to stay in front of her. I'm sure that will change once we get to stage three. Peter is the type of person who will have a lot of fears. Where I think Suzy won't have many at all, she could even outrank Tris if she can beat her time to get out of the fear landscape. I will just have to wait and see what happens.

I start to walk towards the door when I see Peter having a go at Tris. I can't step in; she is going to have to fight her own battle on this one. Peter is dangerous and I can't show favouritism here or it will only be worse for her.

I see Will step in and I watch from the doorway, just in case we have a brawl on our hands. It is soon over with some harsh words coming from Peter's mouth. But that is all it really is, just words. I go to leave but I can hear Tris and Suzy's friends now questioning her rank. I would like to say something but they all need to work this out for themselves. I walk away, we only have a few more days before the Erudite attack and I need to make sure I have everything planned out correctly. I can't afford any mistakes.


	21. Chapter 21

**YOU WON'T OUTRANK ME**

 **ERIC POV**

I can hear the ringing but I don't want to have to pick the phone up. The ringing isn't stopping. Shit! It's the emergency phone. Every Dauntless leader has an emergency phone in their apartment in case there is trouble. Then I jump up quickly, what if there is something wrong with Suzy?

"This better be important," I say. I listen to Zeke on the other end of the phone. Something about four people and Four at the chasm.

"Okay, I'll go and check it out," I say. I hang up the phone and put some clothes on and walk out the door.

I am half way down the hall way when I see Four with Tris in his arms. My first thought is thank god it's not Suzy. Not that I want harm to come to anyone but I at least feel I can breathe again knowing that Suzy isn't the one hurt.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Peter, Drew and Al tried to throw her over the chasm," Four says.

"Where are they now?"

"Drew is knocked out at the chasm. Peter and Al got away."

"Shit, those little fuckers!" I say anger boiling over in me. This would have to be one of the most cowardly acts I have seen in Dauntless. It's a pity they are only initiates, nothing can be done about this. Only once they are members would they be punished for their crimes. I hate that rule; I need to get that changed. Every year someone tries something like this.

"Do you need any help with her?" I ask. I can see she is unconscious at the moment and she looks pretty beat up. It shows just how strong she is that she could hold on while they were doing this to her. She definitely deserves to be in first place in the rankings.

"Can you go and put Drew in the infirmary for me? Maybe get Suzy out of the dorms, I know Peter ranked above her but you can't trust him," Four says.

"Yeah, I'll do that. I'll come check on you both when I am done. Leave your door unlocked so I can get in," I say. Four just nods and walks towards his apartment with Tris in his arms.

* * *

After depositing Drew in the infirmary I walk into the transfer dormitory and I flick the light switch. Before I have even touched the switched I can hear Al crying in his bunk. Coward. I am so angry right now. I walk over to Peter's bunk and he is sound asleep.

How can he sleep after what he just did? The nerve of this guy. I reach out and pull him from the bunk. He lets out a shriek like a little girl. He opens his eyes and sees that it is me who has hold of him and his eyes almost bug out of his head.

Before he has a chance to move out of my grip I swing my left arm and my fist connects with his eye.

"Three on one. What sort of coward are you Peter?" I yell.

Before he can answer I have swung at him again, this time connecting with his jaw. I then proceed to just keep punching him. I don't know how many times I have hit this piece of scum, then I hear a voice calling my name. I want to ignore her voice but I can't. I know it is Suzy. Will and Al are trying to drag me away from Peter but they aren't getting very far, I am just too strong. They have hold of my arms so I start kicking wildly at Peter. I kick him wherever I can.

"Eric, Stop!" Suzy screams at me. I have never heard her raise her voice, it is rather scary.

I stop my assault on Peter and I turn to look at her. "Please stop," she says in barely a whisper.

I yank my arms free from Will and Al. I push Al over and I say to him, "you better keep away from me you low life coward."

I walk over and give Suzy a hug, I don't care who sees at this point, it is the only way I am going to calm down. I am breathing deeply from my assault on Peter.

"What is going on?" Christina asks.

"Ask those two," I say, pointing at Al and Peter, as I try and get my breathing back under control.

Al quickly runs out of the room and Peter is only semi conscious on the floor.

"Peter, Drew and Al attacked Tris. They tried to throw her over the chasm," I say.

"What?" says Christina.

"Is she alright?" Asks Suzy.

"I don't know. Four rescued her and is looking after her right now. She was unconscious and looked pretty beat up when I saw them," I say. I wish I could give them more information but I don't have it until I get back to Four's.

"Can we go and see her?" Will asks.

"Not now. Try and get some rest. I will let you know tomorrow how she is," I say. "Suzy can you please get some of Tris's stuff. She won't be coming back to the dorms. Can you also get some of your things together as well?" Suzy just nods and starts to gather what she needs.

"Why can't we do something for her? We are her friends too," Christina whines.

"Just get back to sleep," I snap. Candor smart mouth should just let it go. I wouldn't mind hanging her back over the chasm if she doesn't shut it soon. I just want to get back to Four's with Suzy, then I know they are both safe and away from Peter and his goons.

"You ready?" I ask Suzy. She nods and we walk out of the dorm. I turn the light out as I leave and slam the door. Hopefully that will send a strong enough message to not only Peter but hopefully it will shut Christina up.

* * *

I take the bag from Suzy and put it over my shoulder. I then grab Suzy's hand in mine and we walk towards Four's apartment. I am thankful that Suzy isn't asking me a mountain of questions as we walk. I think if I had to say anything else I would turn around and go and try to find Al and give him what I gave Peter. But holding Suzy's hand is keeping me calm for now.

We reach Four's apartment and I let myself in the front door. Suzy gives me a questioning look and I explain that I told him to leave the door open for us.

"Four," I call out.

I see Four walk down the stairs to us. His knuckles are as beat up as mine are. It makes me smile, thinking of what we did to Peter and Drew. There has been so many times that I had wanted to punch Peter but had to refrain myself. I'm sure if I had hit him I would have got away with it but I am trying to change.

"How is she?" I ask.

"She hasn't woken up yet. I don't think anything is broken but you never know. I was lucky I got there when I did," Four says.

"I have her things for her," Suzy says.

"Thanks," Four says.

"Okay, well we are going to go back to my apartment. Let me know if you need anything. Do you think we should get a doctor to come up here and check her out? We could do that if we wanted, keep this off the radar," I say.

"If we need to then I will call the infirmary. I think she just needs rest but once she wakes up I'll see how she is. If she isn't awake in the next couple of hours I will carry her there myself. How was Drew?"

"He is pretty beat up but he'll live. When I went to the dormitory Peter and Al were there. Al was crying in his bunk. I found Peter asleep. So I dragged him out of his bed and laid into him a bit," I say.

"Good. I hate this rule that we can't do anything because they aren't members yet," Four says.

"I don't think either of them will be doing any harm to anyone else. For now anyway. We just have to hope they don't become members," I say.

Four just nods his head and we say our goodnights and go next door to my place.

* * *

We walk into my apartment and I can feel how nervous Suzy is.

"Do you want a drink or something?" I ask.

"Why did you bring me here Eric?"

"I didn't want you in the dormitory with those maniacs."

"What about Christina and Will? They are still stuck in there."

"They will be fine. I was worried about you." Suzy is looking really nervous and then I realise what is really going on.

"I have a spare room Suzy. You can stay in there."

"Thank you Eric." I can see Suzy start to relax. I must have scared her half to death. I am going to have to get used to the fact that Suzy has come from Abnegation. Where she doesn't seem as 'stiff' as some, she still has had sixteen years of Abnegation rammed down her throat. I can't expect her to change overnight. I know I still have some of my Erudite tendencies, although I'm sure most of them have stayed because of Jeanine's influence on me.

"Come on I will show you to your room."

 **FOUR POV**

Eric and Suzy have just left and I have walked upstairs to my bedroom. I have brought Tris's belongings up here. I am sure she will want to change clothes when she wakes up. I didn't want to disturb her so I just laid her on my bed and covered her up.

I am lying next to her just watching her sleep. She looks so peaceful, like she didn't go through the traumatic events of tonight. I hope she is going to be alright after this. I know it is going to hit her hard when she realises that her so called friend Al had a hand in this.

I'm glad Eric and I could at least serve some justice out to Peter and Drew. I was a little shocked to see that Eric reacted like he did. I hope that this means that he has changed for the better. A few weeks ago he wouldn't have cared or he would have hoped they had thrown Tris over the chasm.

I decide to go and have a shower while I wait to see if Tris wakes up. If she doesn't wake up soon I am going to have to take her to the infirmary to get checked out. She has an egg sized lump on the back of her head and maybe it caused more damage than I thought.

* * *

I walk back into my bedroom and Tris is sitting up. I can tell she is in pain. But knowing Tris she won't complain. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she says. I raise an eyebrow at her because I know she is lying. "Okay, not so good," she says.

"Suzy brought some of your things here. Did you want to change?"

"Can I have a shower?"

"Of course. Just call out if you need any help."

Tris gets of the bed and she goes over to my chest of draws. I'm looking at her strangely when she pulls one of my T-shirts out. "This is going to be more comfy to sleep in," she says. She than walks over to the bag Suzy brought here and walks into my bathroom.

I lie on the bed and wait for Tris to get out of the shower. When she comes out she comes and sits on the bed with me.

"There are some pain killers and water there for you."

"Thanks."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not tonight. I have a headache and I'm aching all over. Do you think we could just go to sleep and talk tomorrow?"

I nod my head and say, "Come here."

Tris takes the pain medication and then hopes into bed and snuggles up next to me.

"Goodnight Tobias."

"Night Tris."

* * *

I wake up to banging on my door. Who is trying to wake me up? Then I remember that I have Tris here and so I jump out of bed hoping that the banging doesn't wake her up.

I open the door to see Eric and Suzy at the door.

"Why didn't you just use your master key Eric? You probably woke up half the compound with your banging," I say in my cranky morning voice.

"Ha good morning to you to Four," he says. "How is she?"

"Still asleep, I don't know how though with all the noise," I say.

"Tris," Suzy says. We all look up the stairs to see Tris walking down in just my T-shirt. Although it does reach to her knees.

"Hi," Tris says. I can see it hurts her to move. I can see the tension on her face as she tries to walk down the stairs. She is trying to show that she is okay but it is obvious that she isn't.

"How are you feeling?" Eric asks.

"I've felt better. But I should be used to this sort of pain after the fights," she says.

"Well you will be happy to know that Four and I beat the crap out of Peter and Drew. So I don't think they will be bothering you anytime soon. That's if either of them can walk," Eric says.

A small smile comes across Tris's face. "Thank you," she says.

We all sit on the couches and Tris tells us how she was going for a drink of water when the three of them attacked her. She gets really upset when she talks about how she thought they were going to kill her. She starts to talk about Al and how she thought he was her friend. We just sit and let her talk. The occasional question is asked but we mainly just listen. I feel sick knowing that if I hadn't come along when I did that we would probably be going to a funeral today and not breakfast.

Thankfully it is breakfast that we will be having. Eric and Suzy leave and Tris and I get ready to go down to the dining hall.

* * *

Tris and I still can't tell people about us so she walks into the dining hall and goes and sits with Christina, Will and Suzy. I find Zeke and Shauna and sit with them. As I am sitting down I see Uriah go and sit with Tris and her friends.

"What's up?" Zeke asks.

I just shake my head.

"I tried calling you but you weren't answering. I had to call Eric and then I saw you on the video feed. How is she?" Zeke asks.

"She is okay," I say. I don't really feel like talking about this but Zeke is going to want to know every detail.

"What happened?" asks Shauna.

"Tris was attacked be three initiates last night. I was walking home when I heard her screams," I say.

Zeke starts laughing and I feel like hitting him. "Did you do that?" he asks as Peter walks into the dining hall. You can't see his face for swelling and bruises. Eric did a good job on him. Before I can answer Drew walks in, he only looks marginally better than Peter.

"Did you get both of them?" Shauna asks.

"No, I got Drew. Eric went after Peter in the dorm."

"Well you both did a great job. Hopefully they have learnt their lesson now," Zeke says.

"I doubt it. I just have to hope they all get knocked out of Dauntless. Drew and Al won't make it past initiation but Peter probably will," I say. Trying to think of a way for us to kick him out. Maybe we can put him with the leaders when we carry out our plans for them. That could work; I will have to talk it over with Eric. I'm sure he won't care what happens to Peter.

* * *

 _Sorry for being away for so long. I have been helping a friend and haven't had any time to write. Thank you for everyone who has sent me messages or reviews wondering where I have been. I'm back now and have started writing again. So hopefully I will have some more chapters for you by the weekend. Again sorry for being away for so long. I hope I never have to stay away from a story for so long again. But it couldn't be helped and I am back now. the most frustrating part is that there isn't that many chapters to go in this story. So I will do everything I can to get the story finished as quickly as I can. I hope you keep enjoying;)_


	22. Chapter 22

**CONFRONTATIONS**

 **TRIS POV**

I am walking through the Pit with Suzy, Christina and Will. My movements are still slow from the attack from Al, Peter and Drew. When I look up I see Al walking towards us. Al doesn't look his normal self. His eyes are red and puffy like he has been crying, he doesn't look as though he has had any sleep.

"Tris," Al says as he approaches us. "Can I talk to you?"

"Are you kidding?" Will squeezes my shoulders. "You don't get to come near her ever again."

It is in this moment that I am grateful for the friends that I have made here in Dauntless. To have their support along with the Dauntless-born, Four and even Eric, makes the pain of what has happened a little less. I look up at Al and can't believe that just yesterday I thought of him as one of my friends. A lot can happen in a day, especially here in Dauntless.

"I won't hurt you. I never wanted to . . ." Al covers his face with both hands. "I just want to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I don't . . . I don't know what's wrong with me, I . . . please forgive me, please. . . ."

He reaches for me like he is going to touch me. I take a step back, not wanting him to touch me. I don't want him anywhere near me. Not now, not after he has betrayed me.

"Stay away from me," I say quietly. It is a voice I don't recognise, even though I know it is my own. I have no feelings for the person I see in front of me. I'm not angry, I am not hurt, I just feel nothing. I look up and our eyes meet. "Never come near me again." I turn to walk away but before I leave I say, "If you do. I swear to God I will kill you. You coward."

I turn and keep walking with my friends by my side. Not turning back. A few short weeks ago I would never have thought of saying such things to anyone. I don't know if I would have forgiven him even then but I would never have voiced what I thought.

* * *

I am lying on the couch in Tobias' apartment. I was so tired I didn't even bother to try and reach the bedroom for a nap. I feel a warm hand on my shoulder and I know it is Tobias. I don't want to open my eyes. I don't want to have to remember that my body is still hurting from the attack. I don't want to remember the look in Al's eyes when he confronted me in the pit earlier today.

"I know you're awake," he says. I can hear the hint of a smile in his voice. "We are meeting everyone for dinner in the dining hall."

I groan as I try to get up. "Still in pain?" he asks.

I just nod as I sit up. "I heard what happened in the Pit today with Al," he says.

"Tobias I don't really want to talk about it," I say. He nods his head and pulls me into his body for a hug. Nothing makes me feel better like being in his arms. If only I could stay like this with him forever.

"Come on, our friends are waiting," he says.

* * *

We are sitting in the dining hall, Suzy, Christina, Will, Uriah, Marlene, Lynn, Zeke, Shauna, Tobias and I. We have just finished dinner and Uriah is trying to balance a spoon on his nose when Eric walks in and whispers something to Tobias. I can't hear what he has said but I know by the look on their faces it isn't good.

Then we start to hear murmurs throughout the dining hall. Tobias looks at me and I know it has to do with Al. "What happened?" I ask.

"Al jumped," is all that Eric says. I look at Tobias and jump up from my seat and run out into the Pit toward the Chasm. I hear my friends call after me but I don't stop. I know I need to see this for myself.

I stop to see two men hoisting something with ropes. A huge, dark shape appears above the ledge, and a few Dauntless rush forward to help the two men haul it over. The shape falls with a thud onto the Pit floor. It's Al. My friends have caught up to me now and I can hear the gasps as they see what I see. I feel Christina tugging me close and a sob has come from her lips.

Christina's hands are getting tighter around my arm. It is uncomfortable and I really want to tell her to let go because it is starting to hurt but the words aren't forming. I just keep staring at his body. Someone kneels next to Al's face and pushes his eyelids shut. I'm grateful that I don't have to look into those dark dead eyes anymore. Just look away I tell myself. But I can't.

I feel my chest start to tighten, like I am suffocating and can't breathe. I sink to the ground, dragging Christina with me. I wish I could cry like I hear Christina doing next to me but I can't. Everything I feel I should be doing I'm not. It is then that I feel Tobias lift me up and carry me away from the Pit.

* * *

I must have fallen asleep because I wake up to see that I am in bed. I look around and Tobias isn't here. I get up and walk towards the bedroom door and I can hear voices coming from the lounge room. I walk towards the voices and see that the people I had been sitting in the dining hall with are now sitting around the lounge room.

I walk over and sit next to Tobias. "You're awake," he says to me. I just nod and lean my head on his shoulder.

"What's happening?" I ask.

"We are just waiting for Eric. They are going to have Al's funeral tonight," Zeke says.

"So soon?" I ask.

"Yeah, they like to get these things over with as soon as possible in Dauntless," Zeke says.

Just as he has finished saying this Eric walks in. "It's time," he says.

"You don't have to go Tris," Tobias says. "We can just stay here."

I shake my head. "No I need to do this," I say. We all follow Eric out towards the Pit.

 **SUZY POV**

We are all standing in the Pit waiting for Al's funeral to begin. I have only ever seen an Abnegation funeral so I don't really know what to expect. The smell of alcohol is in the air, I can see that most of the people standing here have been drinking or are drinking out of flasks. It seems that Dauntless all come out for such events. The amount of people here surprises me; most of these people wouldn't know who Al was.

Shauna seems to know what I am thinking because she turns to me and says, "Dauntless see death as a celebration, well some do, most just see it as a reason to get drunk." I nod my head and just watch as Eric gets up to speak.

"Quiet down, everyone!" shouts Eric. Someone hits what sounds like a gong, and the shouts gradually stop, though the mutters don't. Eric says, "Thank you. As you know, we're here because Albert, an initiate, jumped into the chasm."

"We do not know why," Eric says, "and it would be easy to mourn the loss of him tonight. But we did not choose a life of ease when we became Dauntless. And the truth of it is . . ." Eric smiles. I don't understand why Eric is smiling. "The truth is, Albert is now exploring an unknown, uncertain place. He leaped into vicious waters to get there. Who among us is brave enough to venture into that darkness without knowing what lies beyond it? Albert was not yet one of our members, but we can be assured that he was one of our bravest!"

A cry rises from the centre of the crowd, and a whoop. The Dauntless cheer at varying pitches. Typical Dauntless. I watch as Christina takes a flask from Uriah and drinks. Will pulls her to his side.

"We will celebrate him now, and remember him always!" yells Eric. Someone hands him a dark

bottle, and he lift it. "To Albert the Courageous!"

"To Albert!" shouts the crowd. Arms lift all around me and the Dauntless chant his name. "Albert! Al-bert! Al-bert!" The chanting continues until you can no longer understand his name. I watch as Tris turns to Four and says, "I'm leaving, this makes me sick."

I watch as they walk away from the Pit. I totally understand why she would not want to be here for this. The Dauntless have stopped the chants and are all sharing flasks or bottles of what I assume is alcohol. The whole experience is sickening. I don't understand why they would want to act this way when someone has decided that suicide is the answer.

I watch Eric make his way over to me and I don't really want to be around him at the moment. His speech was ridiculous. I turn and start to walk away when I feel him grab my arm.

"Suzy," he says.

"What was that Eric?" I ask. I can feel myself getting angry.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"How can you not know? The things you said about Al. Why would you say that after what he did to Tris?"

"It wasn't what I think. Dauntless has a speech for funerals. I just said what is always said," he tells me.

"I have to wonder if you have really changed when I see you do something like that. I thought Tris was a friend and that you would show her a little more respect. Did you really have to read out that garbage? Couldn't you have done something different? Do you even understand how this has made Tris feel? What is wrong with you?" I am now yelling at Eric. I turn and walk away; I can't be around him at the moment. I want to try and find Tris and make sure she is okay. I can hear Eric yelling for me to come back, but I don't turn around I just keep walking.


	23. Chapter 23

**FACTION BEFORE BLOOD**

 **ERIC POV**

Cara is back in Dauntless. She has arrived with the other Erudite who are here to start the simulation. We only have two days until it all happens. I am trying to concentrate on what I have to do to make this plan a success but all I can think about is Suzy. I don't know how to fix this, it took me awhile but I understand now why she got so angry. I am going to have to try and apologize to Tris, explain to her why I said what I did at Al's funeral. Hopefully that will help win Suzy back.

"Hi Cara," I say as I walk into the meeting room. She has another person with her. This has me worried.

"Hi Eric. This is Fernando, he is a friend," she says.

I just nod my head at him. "I've brought him here to help. He is good with electronics. He is going to shut the power down in Dauntless when the simulation is supposed to start. I thought it would be better to have a backup plan just in case something goes wrong. If the power is out they won't be able to use the computers to control everyone," she says.

"That is a great idea. But we will need to dress him as a Dauntless; we are only letting Erudite into certain parts of the compound. He is going to need to be able to move around all of Dauntless. The problem is he doesn't look very Dauntless. What do you say to getting a tattoo Fernando?"

"Oh, I oh. Is it really necessary?" Fernando asks, you can hear the worry in his voice.

Eric starts to laugh. "I am joking, people aren't going to be taking any notice. Dauntless are getting ready for the end of initiation, they are busy planning parties, they won't take any notice of you Fernando. This is why we picked now for the attack," I say.

"I have everything you will need for our attacks on Dauntless and Abnegation. I have also brought clothing for Will and whoever else will be going to Erudite. We are going to need them to leave straight after the rankings are revealed. This is when we are going to get your mum out. So we are going to have to have your friends in Abnegation ready to hide her," Cara tells me.

"Don't worry they will be prepared. Do you have Jeanine's schedule?"

"I do. I think our plan will work. I will show you everything I have but then I need to get back to Erudite. I need to be at Erudite when everything is happening so I can give your people access. I visited your mum yesterday Eric. She is in good spirits but she was not happy that she would be going to Abnegation," Cara says.

"I have no doubt about that. She is a true Erudite, Abnegation would be almost as bad as factionless as far as she is concerned," I say. It brings a smile to my face, my mum is going to be so pissed staying in Abnegation, even if it is only for one night. The clothes alone will set her over the edge, but knowing she is safe is more important than how she is feeling at the moment.

* * *

I knock on Four's door, hoping that Suzy and Tris are both there. I need to try and make things right with Suzy and I know the first step is to talk to Tris. I also need to talk to Four about our plans.

Four opens the door. "You are brave. Tris and Suzy are here and neither seems to like you very much at the moment," he says.

I walk past him and into the room. Tris and Suzy are sitting on the couch talking. They both look up and I can see the hurt in Suzy's eyes. "Tris I'm sorry about Al's funeral. I know it wasn't the right things to say but I was given a speech to read, it is the speech that is said whenever someone jumps. I didn't think, I'm sorry if I upset you," I say. It makes me sick to realise what I had done. I was only doing what I have programmed myself to do. I have had to keep myself safe here in Dauntless. I am only now starting to realise what a cold hearted bastard I have really become.

"Thanks Eric," Tris says.

"Now we need to talk about the simulation and how we are going to stop it and who is going to help. Four, you and Tris are going to need to go to Abnegation today. We need to have everything in place ready to go tonight. We are going to need to have everything set up ready to go. Fear landscapes are tomorrow and we are only going to have a few hours after it is finished to get this right," I say.

"We will leave for Abnegation shortly after we finalise all of this. I need to show Tris something before we go," Four says.

We sit and talk through what we need to do. We also have to hope that the people we need to help us are willing too. We have a busy day ahead of us and the first thing I need to do is fix things with Suzy. If I don't, I don't think I will be able to concentrate on what needs to be done.

"Okay let's meet back here in an hour. I will have everything you need to take to Abnegation. Then when you get back from there we can start recruiting the people we need here in Dauntless," I say.

I walk over and sit next to Suzy. "I really need to talk to you, alone," I say.

 **FOUR POV**

I leave my apartment with Tris. I want some time with her before we have to go to Abnegation. I take her down to my secret spot below the chasm.

"What is this place?" Tris asks as we sit on a flat rock.

"This is where I like to come to when I want some time to myself. No one knows it is here, so I don't get bothered."

"Are you okay?"

"Just not looking forward to going back to Abnegation."

"You don't have to go Tobias. I could go myself."

"No. I don't want you to go alone. I just wanted some time with you before we had to leave," I say. I don't want her to worry. I can do this. I just have to hope Marcus isn't there or that he doesn't see me. I haven't seen him in two years and I'm not looking forward to having to see him again.

"Now you have the leadership position there are sure to be more times that you are going to have to see him. Maybe it's better if you do see him today."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well if you see him today it will be with less people around. It will probably be a lot easier than if you have leaders from other factions around."

"I didn't think of it like that. Maybe," I say. She has made a good point, probably better to have my first face to face with him away from others. It still makes me nervous.

"There is more to this Tobias. What else is bothering you?" asks Tris. Always perceptive she is.

"Thinking about my mother," I say.

"Your mother?"

"I found out just after a came to Dauntless that she is alive," I say.

"Alive? How? Where is she?"

"She's living factionless. She wanted me to go and join her. She said that something like this was going to happen and that she wanted me to join her, help her take over the city."

"She left you with that maniac and now she wants you to leave your home to become factionless. Is she crazy?"

I can't help but chuckle at what Tris has said. It does sound ridiculous when you hear it out loud. "I wouldn't join her Tris. I don't even know her. She left me, she said she didn't think he would beat me. But he was beating me before she left. I think she only remembers the things she wants too. I couldn't leave now even if I wanted too," I say.

"Why not? Not that I want you too but . . ."

"You," I say.

"Me?" she asks.

"Yes you. I couldn't leave now. Not when I have you with me. Plus I don't trust her. I still can't believe she left me like she did," I say. Tris comes and sits on my lap and I just hold her close to me.

"I won't ever leave you Tobias. I love you," she says.

I just keep holding her close to me and I whisper in her ear, "I love you too Tris."

* * *

Tris and I jump off the train and start to walk towards Abnegation. Just being back here sends a shiver down my spine. I hate this place. While I have a few happy memories of when my now resurrected mother was still with us. I also have the time I spent with Tris, although most of that was spent with her tending the wounds Marcus had inflicted on me. I feel Tris put her hand in mine as we walk toward her parent's house.

We reach the door and Tris knocks. Her mother opens the door and we walk in. "Beatrice it is so good to see you," Natalie says, giving her daughter a hug. "Tobias, how are you?"

Before I can respond I hear his voice. "Tobias?"

I look over and there is Marcus sitting in the living room with Andrew Prior. I know this is not going to end well.

"How dare you come here. You are not welcome in Abnegation," Marcus spits out at me. Standing and pointing his finger at me.

"Marcus," Natalie says. "I think you need to remember that you are both guests in our home."

"He is a traitor, he should not be here," Marcus says.

"Marcus I think you should try and calm down," Andrew says. "There must be a good reason for them to be here."

Marcus sits back down as Andrew comes over and gives Tris a hug. "It's so good to see you Beatrice," he says.

"It's Tris now dad. It's good to see you too," she says.

"We brought what you will need for the day after tomorrow. We also need someone to meet with some friends from Erudite tomorrow night to pick up Mrs Coulter," I say. "The details of where to meet are in the bag."

"Thank you Tobias," Natalie says. She takes the bag from me. "Would you both like something to drink, to sit?"

"We can't stay mum. We need to get back to Dauntless. We have a lot to do," Tris says.

"I understand," Natalie says. I can hear the disappointment in her voice. She would like more time with her daughter but being from Abnegation it would be rude to ask for it. "How is initiation going?"

"I'm in first place," Tris says.

"Oh that's wonderful Beatrice. We are so proud of you," Andrew says.

"We will be coming back here to help you with the plans. We know there are going to be a lot of Erudite here. Jeanine is going to be with them," I say. "It would be better not to do anything until we get here."

"What would you know Tobias," Marcus says. "What makes you think we need you here? We can look after ourselves."

"Tobias is a Dauntless leader," Tris spits back at Marcus. "He knows a hell of a lot more than you do about what is going on Marcus."

"How dare you speak to me like that Beatrice. You need to respect your elders," Marcus says. He gets up from his seat and walks over and stands in front of Tris.

I step in front of Tris and I am face to face with Marcus. "You stay away from her," I say.

Marcus raises his hand and I flinch. "You may be a Dauntless leader Tobias but we both know that you are nothing," Marcus says.

"Marcus!" Natalie gasps.

"I'm sorry Natalie, Andrew. I think it would be best if we leave," I say. I turn and start to walk toward the door when Marcus grabs my arm. I feel like a small child again. Helpless, I can feel my heart rate rising and it feels like it is getting harder to breathe. Then I feel it. Tris has grabbed my other hand and laced our fingers together. I look down at her and she nods. That is all I needed.

"Let go of my arm Marcus," I say with as much venom as I can.

"How dare you speak to me like that," Marcus counters.

"What is going on here?" Andrew asks.

"Not all the Erudite reports were false dad," Tris says.

"What?" Andrew asks.

"Not all the Erudite reports were false dad," Tris says again.

"I heard what you said Beatrice. Marcus is this true?" Andrew says.

"It was nothing he didn't deserve Andrew," Marcus says.

"Are you kidding me?" I shout. "I was just a little boy. How many times did you almost kill me Marcus? I didn't deserve what you put me through."

"Marcus I need you to leave," Andrew says. "NOW!"

I have never heard anyone other than Marcus raise their voice in Abnegation. I am taken aback. Marcus walks towards the door and as he is opening it he turns to me and says, "this isn't over Tobias."

I slump down and Tris has to almost catch me. I didn't realise just how much that encounter took out of me.

"Come and sit down," Natalie says. Tris guides me to the couch and I sit down.

"How long?" Andrew asks.

"Since before Evelyn left," I say.

"Left? Evelyn died." Natalie says.

"No she is alive and well, living with the factionless," I say.

"Oh dear. Tobias I'm sorry we didn't know," Andrew says.

"It's okay Andrew," I say. I didn't realise but I am sitting with my arm around Tris and we are holding hands.

"So how long have you two been together?" Natalie asks with a warm smile on her face.

"Since just before my choosing," I say.

"Well I'm happy you have each other. I think you make a fine couple," Natalie says.

"I'm certainly glad it's not one of those Dauntless borns, " Andrew says.

"We better be going," I say. "We still have a lot to do and Tris has her final test tomorrow."

"Thank you for everything Tobias. We will see you soon," Natalie says. She then gives both Tris and I a hug and we say our goodbyes to Andrew who also surprisingly gives us both are hug.

"Look after my little girl," he says to me.

"I will, I promise," I say.


	24. Chapter 24

**INITIATION ENDS**

 **ERIC POV**

"How long has he been in there?" Max asks.

We are sitting watching the fear landscapes. I look at my watch. "Almost four hours," I say.

"He has ten more minutes. If he is not out then fail him. This is pathetic," Max says.

Four and I have been trying to find a way to kick Peter out of Dauntless and now it looks like we have. The first two hours we were in here he got through twenty five fears. For the last two hours he has been cowering in a corner crying while I yell and beat the crap out of him. Looks like I will get to kick the little shit out of here. I turn to see a smirk on Four's face.

We sit here for another ten minutes, one of our leaders has actually fallen asleep. I look over to Max and he just nods his head. I walk out of the room and tell Lauren to wake him up.

I walk over to Tris, she is the only initiate who is still to go through her landscape. All her friends are here with her. They are all looking tired and bored. Usually there would be crowds of Dauntless watching as the initiates go through their landscapes but most have moved down into the Pit and are now partying.

"Tris, I'm sorry it has taken so long. We will be ready for you in a few minutes," I say.

"What is going on Eric? Peter has been in there for hours?" Zeke asks.

"He is stuck in his landscape. Lauren in getting him out of it now," I say.

"Has this ever happened before?" Tris asks.

"Not that I'm aware of," I say.

"What does this mean for his rank?" Tris asks.

"He will be factionless," I say.

Just as the group starts to whoop and holler at the news, Peter walks out of the room, he takes one look at me and runs out of the room. Everyone starts to laugh.

"Come on Tris. Let's get this over with," I say.

Tris rises from her seat and starts to walk into the room where she will be injected by Lauren. Four comes over to her. "Are you okay to do this? Because we really need it done now for our plan to work," he says to her.

"Let's get this over with," she says.

* * *

I am standing on a table in the dining hall, ready to announce the initiates results. I'm grateful they have given me a microphone for this as the crowd in here is extremely loud and extremely drunk. The banquet should have started an hour ago but because of Peter we have had to push everything back.

I make the microphone squeal to get everyone's attention. "We aren't big on speeches here. Eloquence is for Erudite," I say. I almost cringe at the words. It seems I get all the ridiculous pre made speeches. I will need to change that.

"So I am going to keep this short. It's a new year, and we have a new pack of initiates. And a slightly smaller pack of new members. We offer them our congratulations." The room has erupted with pounding fists on the tabletops.

"We believe in bravery. We believe in taking action. We believe in freedom from fear and in acquiring the skills to force the bad out of our world so the good can prosper and thrive. If you also believe in those we welcome you," I say. All I can think of is that in a few more hours we will be ridding our faction of the people who don't believe in these things anymore. It makes me smile.

"Tomorrow, in their first act as members, our top ten initiates will choose their professions, in the order of how they are ranked. The rankings, I know, are what everyone is really waiting for. They are determined by a combination of three scores – the first, from the combat stage of training; the second, from the simulation stage; and the third, from the final examination, the fear landscape. The rankings will appear on the screen behind me," I say.

As soon as I have finished the rankings are shown. The room has erupted into chaos as people start to celebrate and congratulate the new members. I watch as I see Four move towards Tris and I then realise that I can now go and congratulate Suzy. I don't have to hide my feelings for her anymore.

I take one last look at the screen, reading the names of our newest member in order of their rank. And it looks like this:

Tris

Uriah

Suzy

Lynn

Marlene

Christina

Ash

Will

Blake

Gabe

Eleven and twelve are Molly and Drew. Peter doesn't get a ranking because he didn't complete his fear simulation.

I start to walk towards the group of new members when I see Peter yelling at Tris. I quickly walk over there and say, "if you have something to say, then I think you should be saying it to me."

He looks up and sees me and goes to run. Four grabs him by the arms and motions for the two guards we have stationed at the door to come over. "What are you doing?" Peter asks.

"You are being escorted from Dauntless," Four says.

"What? I thought that initiates had until the morning to leave," Peter says.

"You didn't complete initiation Peter. So you get to leave now. Take him away," I say to the guards.

"You haven't heard the last from me. I will get revenge. I'm going to kill you Tris, you can be guaranteed of that," Peter is yelling as he is dragged forcefully out of the hall.

I turn around to see concern on Tris's face but everyone else is laughing. I walk over and give Suzy a hug. "Congratulations," I say. "You did such a good job."

"Thank you. I am so glad it is over. I never thought I was going to make it. And now I'm third," Suzy says.

"Okay I am sorry I have to do this. But we need to start putting our plan into place. Will, Christina I need you to come with Suzy and I so I can explain what you need to do," I say.

"Don't we get to have the banquet first?" Christina asks.

"No. But when this is all over I will make sure we have a bigger party," I say.

Christina just nods. I know she isn't happy but I need her to go to Erudite now. They need to help Cara get my mum out. What if it doesn't work? I can't lose her. We have been talking about this for so many weeks now. I can't believe that it is finally time to act. I watch as Christina gives Tris a hug and then we go to walk out of the dining hall.

They have set up tables at the doors of the dining hall and they are starting to inject people with the serum before they can leave. We reach the table and I say, "these three are with me. You don't need to inject them." The guards just nod and I walk us out of the room and we go up to my apartment. I need to get these three out of here as quickly as possible because I need to be seen at the banquet.

* * *

We walk into my apartment and Fernando is sitting on the couch.

"Did you bring me something to eat?" he says.

"No. There is food in the fridge, make yourself something," I say.

"But you're having a banquet downstairs, couldn't you have brought me something?" he says.

"Fernando you're a smart guy. I'm sure you can fix yourself something to eat," I say.

I turn to Suzy, Christina and Will. "Here take this," I say. I pass them a bag.

"There are clothes in here that you will need to change into on the train. I have also put guns and knives in there as well. You need to make sure you are armed at all times. Do exactly what Cara tells you to do. And make sure you stick together," I say. "Do you understand me?"

They all nod. I walk over and give Suzy a hug. "Be careful," I whisper into her ear. "You should be back here before lunch tomorrow. If anything goes wrong make sure you stay together. Cara knows what to do and how to contact me if there are any problems," I say.

"Come on you need to go now," I say.

I watch as they walk out the door and I pray they all get back here safely.


	25. Chapter 25

**MEMORIES**

 **FOUR POV**

I am woken with my alarm going off. I feel Tris stirring next to me. "We need to get up," I whisper into her ear.

"I know. I can't wait for this to be over so I can get a sleep in," she says.

I laugh. "Hopefully everything will go to plan today and you can," I say. I get out of bed and go and have a shower. I am meeting Eric in half an hour and then we have to start putting our plans into effect. We haven't heard from Cara so we don't know if Eric's mum is safe. He was here for hours last night worried. We couldn't afford to have any contact with Cara or Abnegation. So until we get to Abnegation in a few hours we won't know whether she is safe or not.

There is a knock on the bathroom door. "Eric is here," Tris says.

"Tell him I'll be down in a minute," I call back to her.

I leave the bathroom and walk downstairs to find Eric, Tris and Fernando sitting around the dining room table eating breakfast. It looks like Tris has cooked enough food to feed an army. How she could cook eggs, pancakes and bacon in the short amount of time I was in the shower is amazing.

She must see the look on my face because she says, "Don't get excited I went down to the dining hall and got all this. There is no way I had enough time to cook all of this." I just smile, she knows me so well.

"I thought we could all do with a big breakfast, who knows what we are going to be up against," Tris says.

I quickly eat some food. Eric and I need to be at a leaders meeting in fifteen minutes. Fernando is going to stay here with Tris until it is time for us to leave for Abnegation. Zeke, Uriah, Marlene, Lynn and Shauna are meetings us here at six. Along with Tori, Bud and Harrison.

* * *

I am standing outside the meeting room. Max and the other leaders and his lackey's are all inside. Max walks out of the room. "Four are you coming in? We need to get this meeting started. Where is Eric?" Max says.

"He is on his way. Max are you sure you want to go through with this? There must be another way?" I ask him.

"Four it is too late now, we need to do this."

"Are you sure? I'm sure we can find another way," I say. Forever hopeful that I can change his mind. This is the last chance he is going to get. I've spoken to him a number of times, trying to get him to reconsider.

"No Four. I am not going to change my mind. I know you don't like the plan, but we need to do this. Go and find Eric and get him here now before my patience runs out," he says.

I watch as Max walks back into the meeting room and I signal Eric. He walks up to me and says, "You've given him so many chances to change his mind Four. It's too late now, we have to start this."

Eric pulls out the two canisters from his back pack. "Ready?" I just nod. He pulls open the doors and releases the canisters into the room. He then gets a key out of his pocket and locks the door from the outside.

"How long will it take?" I ask.

"Cara said to give it ten minutes, just to make sure," Eric says.

I can hear Max banging on the door and screaming at us to let him out. We just stand there waiting for the ten minutes to be up. "How many others do we have to find?" I ask.

"They should all be in this room. But if they aren't we will have the others track them down while we are in Abnegation," Eric says. "I have a list on my desk in my office, I'll go and get it while we wait for this to work. Is Tori meeting us here or at your place?"

"My place," I say. "Then we can give them their assignments and we can get going."

* * *

We walk into my apartment to find Tris, Fernando, Zeke, Uriah, Shauna, Marlene, Lynn, Tori, Bud and Harrison all sitting around waiting for us. "Okay so we have a lot to tell you but first I need Tori and Harrison to go down to meeting room two. Don't let the people in there out. I will explain it all to you when we get down there," I say.

Tori and Bud nod their heads and walk out the door. "What is going on Four?" Harrison asks.

"Okay, so the tracking device you were all injected with yesterday isn't a tracking device. It is supposed to put you into a simulation. After the simulation was to start you were going to be sent to Abnegation to kill the entire faction," I say.

"What?"says Zeke.

"Are you joking?" says Shauna.

"Stop!" shouts Eric. "Before anyone else asks stupid questions. What Four said are the facts. Now Four and I and some others are in the middle of stopping it from happening but we need your help as well."

"Tris, Eric and I are going to Abnegation to stop the Erudite that are trying to control everyone. Zeke, I need you Shauna, Marlene and Lynn to check that everyone on this list is in meeting room two. If they aren't you need to inject them with this," I say holding up the bag with the needles in them.

"What are we injecting them with?" Zeke asks.

"Memory serum," Eric says. "Now let's get moving we have a lot to do."

* * *

We get back to the meeting room and I quickly explain to Tori what is going on. We unlock the door to the meeting room and confusion is written on the faces of the people in the room.

Max walks up to Eric and says, "who are you?"

"I'm Eric," he says.

"Oh, so um, who am I?" Max asks.

"You are Max," Eric says.

"Geez are they all going to be like this?" Uriah asks.

"Yes," I say. "Zeke I need you to work out who is who, anyone on this list that isn't here you need to go and find."

"Tori and Bud you need to tell each person what their name is and explain they are members of Dauntless and that there has been an accident. Do not let them know what their occupations were because they won't be doing those jobs again. If they are lucky they will be guarding the fence for the rest of their lives, we will work out the details later. If they give you any trouble then lock them in the cells until we get back," I say. "Does everyone understand their jobs? Now if you have any problems Fernando here will cut the power to the compound. But it has to be a dire situation for us to do that. Fernando is going to cut the power to the control room now and we are going to set off another canister of memory serum in the control room to stop the Erudite that are in there from starting the simulation. Uriah and Harrison once the serum has worked we need you to drop the Erudite back off at their compound. Then come back here and help Tori and Zeke. We should be back in a couple of hours," I say.

* * *

We jump on the train and Eric is pacing back and forth. "I'm sure everything is fine with your mum Eric," I say. I have never seen him look this nervous before.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are right. It's just, what if it isn't? What do I do?" Eric asks.

"Let's worry about that when we have too," I say.

"We are going to have to find three new leaders Four," Eric says. "We are also going to have to do something with the memory affected."

"I think Four had the right idea before. Make them fence guards. Give some of the fence guards the chance to work in the compound. Let all the initiates get jobs other than the last five becoming fence guards," Tris says.

"That is a great idea," I say. "We are going to have a lot of work to do over the next few weeks. We are also going to have to try and explain all of this to everyone in Dauntless."

"What are we expecting when we get to Abnegation?" Eric asks.

"All the children were moved out last night, along with as many other members as they could without raising suspicion. Your mum is going to be there Eric," I say. He just nods and continues to pace the train car.

* * *

We jump off the train and start walking towards Abnegation. We are meeting at the Prior's home first. This way Eric can see him mother, I don't think he is going to be able to function properly until he does.

Tris knocks on her parent's door and Natalie quickly opens the door and ushers us in. We walk in to see Andrew and Marcus sitting with another woman I haven't seen before.

Eric walks in and says, "Mum." He walks over and hugs the woman with blond hair and the same steel gray eyes as his. Thank goodness she is safe.

"Eric, I am so glad to see you," she says.

"Cara said there should be twenty Erudite here with Jeanine. We are going to have to do this quickly. Do you know if they have arrived yet?" I ask.

"They got here ten minutes before you got here. They are down in the meeting hall," Natalie says.

"Should we use another canister on them like we did the Dauntless?" I ask.

"No," Eric says. "I want us to be able to personally inject Jeanine."

"What are we going to do with her once she loses her memory?" Tris asks.

"The council has decided that she is going to become a member of Abnegation," Marcus says.

"You're kidding me?" says Eric. "You want that woman to live in your faction?"

"No, but we think it is the best place for her to be. We can watch over her and she won't be near any type of technology," Andrew says.

"Okay let's get this done," I say.

"Tobias," Natalie says. "I need a gun."

"What? Mum, no," Tris says.

"It's okay Beatrice. I know how to shoot a gun," Natalie says. She looks at me and says, "I used to be Dauntless, I think it would be better to have another armed person here."

"You were Dauntless? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Tris asks.

"I chose Abnegation," Natalie says. There isn't anything else to say about it. Once she chose Abnegation there would be no sharing such information with her children.

"I am going to come back after this for answers mum," Tris says.

"I'm sure you are darling," Natalie says with a smile on her face.

* * *

It was decided Tris, Eric and I would confront Jeanine and the other Erudite that are in Abnegation. Natalie will be a few buildings down just in case. Eric's mum wants the honour of injecting Jeanine. No one has any objection to this, so far she is the one who has lost the most from all of this. Once we know that we have them under control Marcus and Andrew are going to inject the rest of the Erudite with the memory serum.

We walk into the Meeting Hall. "Good morning Jeanine," Eric says.

"Eric, where is everyone? They should have started arriving by now," Jeanine says.

"They aren't coming Jeanine," he says.

"What do you mean they aren't coming?" she says.

"The Dauntless aren't coming. We have stopped the simulation Jeanine," he says.

"I don't think so Eric. You know what will happen if this plan doesn't go ahead," she says.

"Well Jeanine, you would need to have my mother to be able to make that threat. And I can tell you that you don't have my mother Jeanine."

"You really think you three can stop me?" Jeanine scoffs.

"We already have Jeanine. Everyone at Dauntless has already been stopped. While we are standing here there are friends in Erudite stopping any plans you have there. Now we need everyone to get into two lines," Eric says.

Nobody moves, they seem to all be waiting for Jeanine. "Now!" Eric shouts. He pulls his gun out and so do Tris and I. Lucky for us the Erudite aren't stupid and they all seem to value their lives a little more than they do following Jeanine.

"What are you planning on doing with us?" Jeanine asks.

"Well your friends here will be given a little injection and then taken back to Erudite," Eric says.

"And me?"

"Well this is the best part Jeanine. I have someone special who is going to inject you with memory serum and then you will be making a new life here in Abnegation," Eric says.

"You can't do that Eric. You have no authority to do this. I am the leader of Erudite. My faction gets to decide what will happen to me," she says.

"We thought that might be the case. So we had an emergency meeting held by the Council last night Jeanine. Because you are a leader, they are able to make such decisions" Eric says.

While we have been chatting with Jeanine the rest of her party have been injected. It is then that we hear a heavy vehicle coming our way. We walk outside to see Uriah and Harrison.

"We thought you might need some transport to get these noses back to where they belong," says Uriah as he jumps out of the front of the truck.

Natalie and Eric's mum have now reached us and there is only one thing left to do. Eric hands his mother the syringe and she walks up to Jeanine and without a word she injects Jeanine with the memory serum.


	26. Chapter 26

**CHOICES**

 **FOUR POV**

Tori, Harrison, Eric and I are sitting in Eric's office. It has been two weeks since Erudite tried to murder Abnegation. Cara has been made leader of Erudite. Eric's mum has gone back home. Jeanine is living in Abnegation and from what we have been told she has become the perfect Abnegation member. Which we have all found a little hard to believe but only time will tell.

We are trying to finalise what jobs are available to the initiates. They didn't get to choose the day they were supposed to because we were too busy saving Abnegation.

"Well we have twenty five new fence guards. Do we have the last five initiates become fence guards or do we give them the opportunity to have a better job?" I ask.

"I think we should give them a chance to have a better job," Tori says.

"I agree," says Eric. Harrison just nods his approval. Tori and Harrison both agreed to become leaders. We have one more opening.

"Okay, now Four do you think Tris will take the leadership position?" Tori asks.

"I'm not sure, I hope so," I say.

"What about the new trainer position?" Eric asks. We have decided to have a full time trainer. We want everyone in Dauntless to keep their skills up. There has never been any form of training after initiation has finished.

"I think Uriah and hopefully Lynn would be happy to be his assistant. They would make a good team," I say.

"That sounds like a good idea Four," Harrison says.

"Do you know what position Suzy wants Eric?" Tori asks.

"Yeah she wants to be an ambassador. We have a spot available, so that should work out for her," he says.

"Okay the other new position is assistant to us," I say. "I think we should have two people in this role, Tori you only want to work in leadership part time and stay in the tattoo parlour. So it would be good to have two assistants," I say.

"Do you have anyone in mind Four?" Tori asks.

"I think we should offer the positions to Marlene and Shauna first. If not then maybe Christina. I don't know I hope that Marlene and Shauna say yes," I say.

"Well I think we should talk to the people we want to offer the positions to, if they accept them then good, otherwise we are going to have to offer them to others," Tori says.

"I'll get onto that now. Do we know who we want to take off fence duty for our new fence guards?" I say.

"No idea," Eric says. "Maybe we should let people apply for the positions that are vacant. Give everyone a fair chance."

"Okay. I'll leave that for you Eric," I say.

* * *

I walk into the dining hall for lunch and find our friends all sitting together. I also see the three Dauntless-born initiates sitting with their friends. I walk over to them first. "Hey guys, you will be choosing jobs tomorrow at eleven. I will get you a list of available jobs by dinner tonight," I say.

"Thanks Four," Gabe says. I nod and walk towards our friends.

I reach our friends and sit down next to Tris. "So tomorrow you guys get to choose your jobs," I say.

"About time Four," Uriah says.

"Yeah well we needed to finalise a few things first," I say. "Anyway I need to see Tris, Uriah, Suzy, Lynn, Marlene and Shauna in my office after lunch." I finally got an office. It still feels strange saying my office. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually.

"What do you need to see me for Four?" Shauna asks.

"We have a new job opening up and I thought you might like it," I say. "Christina, you and Will will be happy to know that you won't be guarding the fence. So I will have a list of job openings for you by dinner."

"Yes," both Christina and Will say together.

"What about the rest of us?" says Uriah.

"Well that is why you are coming up to my office Uriah. I have some jobs in mind for you and I need to discuss them with you. If you don't want them, then they will be offered to others," I say.

"Sweet," Uriah says.

* * *

Tris knocks on my door. I get up and usher her in. I walk to the door and see the others I asked to meet here are standing just outside my door. "I'll call you in when I need you," I say.

I close the door and go over and give Tris a hug. "So what exciting job are you going to be offering me today?" she asks.

"Well I'm hoping you'll take the final leadership position. Tori and Harrison have agreed to fill the other two. Tori is going to also be working in the tattoo parlour and I'm going to keep training initiates. So we are also going to ask Marlene and Shauna to become assistants to the leaders. What do you think?"

"So I am going to be working with you and living with you? Do you think we might get sick of each other," she says.

"No. I can't think of a better person I would want to work and live with. So will you do it Tris?"

"We get to change Dauntless back to how it used to be?" I nod.

"Okay, I'm in," she says.

"Yes," I say and walk over and give her another hug. "Do you want to stay and see the other jobs that are being offered?" she nods and takes a seat.

"Uriah, Lynn can you come in here please," I say.

Uriah and Lynn walk in and they both sit on the couch that is in here.

"Okay so we have decided to create a few new jobs here in Dauntless and we thought you two would be perfect for two of the positions available. We have decided that the members of Dauntless need to keep their training up. We don't give anyone training after initiation. So while Abnegation were cleaning out a building down town they found these old Chicago Police Department training manuals. We thought it would be a good idea to try and adapt some of their training methods to our members. There will be no fear simulations or fear landscapes. I think we can leave those for initiation only. So firstly I want to offer Uriah the position of full time trainer. What do you think Uriah?"

"Seriously I get to train Dauntless members all year round?"

"Yes, except when there are initiates here. Then you get to help train them," I say. "What do you think Uri?"

"Yes, yes I will take the position," he says.

"Good. Now Lynn I want to know if you want to be his assistant?"

"Hell yeah. I'll take the position," says Lynn.

"That's great. We will be announcing the positions tomorrow when the others are choosing. Can you ask Suzy to come in?"

"What about Tris? What are you doing?" Lynn asks.

"Tris has agreed to become a leader," I say.

"Sweet," says Uriah as they leave my office.

Suzy walks into my office and I ask her to sit down. "Suzy Eric told me you want to be an Ambassador to the factions. If you want it, the job is yours."

"That is great Four. I do want that position," she says.

"Great, we will announce it tomorrow at job selections. Can you ask Marlene and Shauna to come in?"

This is going well. Hopefully the last two will say yes. Then we will have the people we trust working around us.

"Hey Shauna, Marlene take a seat. So we have just created two positions for assistants to the leaders. You will be working with the leaders, making sure that everything is running smoothly for them. And we would like to offer you two the positions. What do you think?" I say.

"I would love that job," says Marlene, "thank you so much Four, this is great."

"Shauna?" I ask.

"I don't know Four. Will I have to work with Eric?" Shauna asks.

"Yes, but Shauna I think he has proven that he has changed. And if you are here in the offices you can make sure he stays that way," I say. "Think about it Shauna, but I need you to know that I need an answer by tomorrow. I really want people I trust in these positions."

"Okay Four, I will do it. But you need to know I still don't trust him," Shauna says.

"Fair enough. But I'm glad you are taking the position," I say.

* * *

When we get to job selection there are only five initiates to choose their jobs. Will decided to work in the control room with Zeke. Christina decided to become a shop assistant in one of the Dauntless clothing stores. I think Christina is the most excited of anyone when it has come to job selection. I just hope it means she won't be trying to drag Tris shopping all the time now. Tris always comes home in a bad mood after spending time shopping with Christina.

The three Dauntless-born initiates took jobs in the kitchen, tattoo parlour and control room. So now it is just up to Eric to find replacements for the traitors who are now going to be guarding the fence, once they have been through training with Uriah and Lynn. I can't see Lynn being to kind to any of them. Even if they don't have any memory of what they had done.


	27. Chapter 27

**EPILOGUE – 20 YEARS LATER**

 **FOUR POV**

I shut the door of our apartment and start my walk to the dining hall where I am meeting Tris for lunch. It's Choosing Day and twenty years since Tris landed in Dauntless. It is also our daughter Rebecca's day to choose. To say I am nervous is an understatement; I actually am feeling quiet ill that I might not see my daughter back here in a few hours. It also takes me back to the day that Tris told me that we were going to have a baby.

We had only been married a couple of months and we had been fighting nonstop for a week. I thought she was trying to find a way to leave me. It had gotten so bad that I finally had snapped and yelled at her, "You are being such a bitch. If you are going to leave me then just do it. I can't stand the fighting anymore."

"There is no way in hell I am leaving you Tobias," she yelled back at me. "It is your fault I'm being a bitch."

"Then explain why then Tris? I hate this, I can't live like this," I said. Not realising at the time that you should never piss off a pregnant woman. Something I now know all too well, I wish Zeke had warned me about this.

She then just plopped herself down on the floor in the middle of our lounge room and started to cry. I ran over to her and put her on my lap and said, "Tris please, your scaring me, what's wrong?"

She whispered in my ear, "I'm pregnant."

I was so relieved that she wasn't leaving me that all I could do was laugh, not exactly the right response but she knew I wasn't ever going to be dazzling her with the right words when she married me. It wasn't until a week later that it all started to hit home for me and I realised I was absolutely terrified of becoming a dad. More importantly of turning into Marcus.

Tris even had to ban me from going to the fear landscape room. She had two guards and the control room monitor the room for six months to make sure I didn't go in there and I haven't been in since. Looking back now I can laugh but at the time I don't know which one of us was more stressed through her first pregnancy. But as soon as Becky was born and I saw her, I knew I could never and would never be like Marcus. Now I am waiting to see whether she will come back to us or do what Tris and I did and leave her faction of birth.

* * *

A lot has happened in the last twenty years. Not only for Tris and I but our friends and families as well.

Marcus died from a heart attack about fifteen years ago. Can't say I was sad about that. Some say it was Jeanine that drove him to it. She is to this day still in Abnegation. It was agreed that she was never to be allowed to hold any position with our government. It didn't stop her from hounding Marcus on a daily basis on the things she thought he was doing wrong.

While Jeanine was good at showing she belonged in Abnegation to most people, she couldn't help herself when it came to the matters of our government and behind closed doors she made it her mission to try to help this city to prosper.

It wasn't until Marcus was dead and Andrew Prior took the role to head our government that real change started to be seen throughout the city. Finally Divergent wasn't a bad word, although it still holds fear in a small few. Now anyone who is Divergent doesn't have to hide. Not that people are willingly putting their hands up to say they are, but they can't be hunted or tested on.

It was decided that the factionless needed to be integrated back into our city. There was only one person who tried to start an uprising over this. Of course it was Evelyn. She wanted the faction system disbanded altogether but she didn't get her own way. Unfortunately in her endeavours to try to cause the uprising she was murdered. It was never discovered who murdered her but once she was out of the picture the factionless were happy to try and come back into our society.

Firstly the children were allowed to go to school, then they were allowed to choose on choosing day. Eventually they decided to let them have their own faction and a part of the city was rebuilt to house them. Edward became leader and although at times people thought he maybe a little crazy people were happy to follow him. We asked them if they wanted to call their faction by a new name and not be known as factionless. But the factionless decided that they were brought together because they didn't feel they belonged in a faction and decided to keep the name factionless and wear it as a badge of honour.

Peter and Drew didn't last long within the factionless. We could only suspect but the bodies of both turned up dead within days of them leaving Dauntless. No one even looked into the murders although most suspected that Edward had something to do with it. I don't know what happened to Molly or to Myra. All I know is that Myra left Edward within weeks of them becoming factionless.

The factionless now all have to work. Not only do they now drive our buses and trains but they have rebuilt the buildings that were once ravaged by war before our time. The factionless can also take jobs within other factions but only if the job has been offered to all in that faction first. Dauntless won't allow them to hold any positions where weapons are involved. Erudite have been trying to restore the lake but still haven't come up with a solution.

Cara is still leader of Erudite and is happily married to Fernando. We see them often when they come to visit Will. It was decided that only being able to visit your family once a year was a ridiculous concept and now there is no rules regarding how often you get to see your family. Faction before blood is three words you don't hear in the same sentence anymore.

Caleb is no longer in Erudite. He was one of Jeanine's biggest followers and had his memory erased on the same day as Jeanine. Christina was the one who administered the serum. Cara allowed him to go back to Abnegation and live with his parents. This sent Eric into a complete melt down over it.

He was sure that Suzy would leave him and go back to Abnegation to be with Caleb. He got the shock of his life when she stood up in front of the whole dining hall with a microphone in her hand and asked him to marry her. He has never lived it down that she asked him, but they are still going strong and have twins Sheridan and Jackson, who are both choosing with Becky today.

Zeke and Shauna are married. They also have two kids. Vivian who is choosing today and Lennox who is two years younger. It only took until Lennox was three before Zeke finally asked Shauna to marry him; we never thought it was going to happen. Uriah still gives Zeke grief over it.

Uriah and Marlene got married three months after their initiation was over. They have three kids, Sage who is choosing today, Oscar who is twelve and Jared who is ten.

Lynn has one son Storm he is twelve. No one knows who his father is and we have never asked. A few years ago someone asked Storm didn't he want to know who his father was and he said, "No, as if he could be as cool as the family I have. I have five uncles who are way better than any dad could ever be." And he is right. We have all helped Lynn just as she has been here for all of us.

Then there is Christina and Will. They have one daughter Jade who is also choosing today. Christina and Will aren't together anymore. They split when Jade was five. Christina has had a string of boyfriends but none have stuck around. Will and Lauren got married shortly after he and Christina broke up and have a son Oscar who is eight. This can lead to some interesting times in the dining hall, especially with the arguments that can erupt between Will and Christina. But we have all learnt to live with their fights, everyone except jade, who still becomes quiet distressed at it all.

I walk into the dining hall, knowing I don't have long until I have to be at the net to welcome the new initiates. Silently praying that my own daughter is one of them. I sit down next to Tris. Ryan and Thomas our two sons are with her. Ryan is fourteen and Thomas is thirteen. Zeke, Shauna and Marlene are at the Choosing Ceremony. Oscar, Jared, Storm and Lennox are also at our table. Usually the parents sit at one table and our children at the one next to ours but today we are all sticking together.

Eric is representing Dauntless at the Ceremony. Suzy decided to stay here; she said she couldn't stand to watch if the kids decided to transfer. Uriah and Lynn are both here as they need to be at the net with me when the kids jump. Tris didn't think it was fair that she would know before me if Rebecca decided to transfer so she stayed here. Always thinking of others is my Tris, even after twenty years she still has some Abnegation left in her.

Uriah is taking bets on which of our children will be the first jumper. It seems Rebecca and Sage are the front runners. But the sad news is everyone is betting that Jade will transfer out today. I hope it doesn't happen but the kids at our table are all talking about it. I look over to Tris and she just shrugs. Neither of us have any idea.

"Time to go," says Tris.

"You six behave while we are gone," I say, putting on my instructor voice. "If I find anything wrong in the dormitories this year the five of you will be sleeping in there and I will give the initiates your beds." Last year the boys thought it would be fun to drench the transfer's bunks in water. The year before they decided to attack the initiates in their sleep with paintball pellets. I hate to think what they have thought up for this year's initiates. Hopefully I have scared them enough but I doubt it, they are Dauntless. I'm sure they would only pick on the transfers, especially with their siblings being in the Dauntless-born dorm this year. They know they would get the crap beaten out of them if they tried anything on their sisters or Jackson.

* * *

"We should have bets on what the boys will do to the transfers this year," Uriah says.

"As if we would do that Uriah. You will probably be giving them ideas on what they should do to them," Tris says. "Maybe we should have you sleep in the transfer's dorm with them."

"No need to get nasty Tris," Uriah says and I can't help but laugh.

I am standing at the net waiting. I am rocking back and forward on the balls of my feet. Tris walks over to me and puts her arms around my waist. "You need to calm down; she has made her decision by now. There is nothing you can do," she says.

"How are you so calm?" I ask her.

"I'm not; I am just hiding it better than you. Do you really think she will transfer? Because I don't, she loves Dauntless, she loves her friends and most of all she loves her family. There is nothing that makes me think she would choose otherwise," she says.

"Thanks Tris," I say, squeezing her as tight as I can. Thank god I have her here with me. I could never have survived the last twenty years or our three children without her by my side. "Did you hear that? That was the train; they should be on the roof."

"You sure you don't want to put a bet on Becky Four?" Uriah asks. I just shake my head. I'm too nervous to talk. I hope she does jump first, I don't think I can stand the wait to see if she is coming back to us.

"Okay but even Tris has had a bet," Uriah says. I look over to Tris and she shrugs.

"She bet that Becky and Sage will jump together. If they do she is going to make a fortune, she is the only one who has made that bet," Uriah says.

"You better take me out to dinner if you win," I turn and say to Tris. She just laughs at me.

Next moment we hear them before we see them. They aren't screaming, they sound like they are having the time of their lives. The thought of jumping still sends chills down my spine. Then I see them land and they are both laughing. All I can do is shake my head when I see who it is.

Uriah and I go and pull them out of the net. "Names?" I say.

"Really dad? Becky and Sage," says Rebecca.

"Make the announcement Four," says Uriah.

"First jumpers, Becky and Sage," I say with a smile on my face and I give Becky a big hug. "Really good to see you again baby girl," I say.

"Dad," she whines. "It's good to be back." And with that she goes and gives her mum a hug.

Becky is the spitting image of Tris. Except for two things, she got my blue eyes and she is tall. She is only two inches shorter than me. Except when she puts those damn heels on and then she's taller.

Next is Sheridan landing in the net. Then comes Vivian and then Jackson. I look over to Tris and she shakes her head, which can only mean that Jade hasn't come back to Dauntless. Which means Tris won't be home tonight, she is going to have to console Christina. Christina is going to be devastated about this. I just hope Jade didn't go to Erudite or I'm sure Christina will blame Will and we will have an all out war in the dining hall.

We have our largest group of initiates ever today. There are twenty five Dauntless-born, Jade is the only one who has transferred out and twenty transfers. We don't make cuts in initiation anymore but you are still ranked for job choosing purposes. The fights are still brutal although you can concede; I don't have any concerns for Becky she is a great fighter because I have taught her well.

I am just about to split the groups when Tori comes up to me. "Please drag the tour out. I need to go and set up the tattoo parlour. All your kids decided to book an appointment for tonight so they could get tattoos," Tori says.

"So you knew they were coming back?"

"Yes, but I promised I wouldn't say anything," She says. I just shake my head.

We decided to make it a rule in Dauntless that no child can get a tattoo before their initiation. I know Becky has wanted a tattoo since she was twelve. She has a sketch book that she draws her designs in. I even have one of her designs tattooed on my chest. Tori has already taught her how to give a tattoo, so it wouldn't surprise me if that is where she will want to work after initiation.

If she isn't in the tattoo parlour or with her friends then she is with Jackson. If someone had told me twenty years ago that Eric and I would become friends I would have laughed at them or punched them in the face. And now our children are dating. They have been dating for the last two years. I wasn't happy about it at first but Tris soon reminded me of what we were like at their age and Jackson is a good kid.

* * *

I finish the tour with the transfers and walk into the dining hall to find all our friends together. Including Will and Christina. I sit down next to Tris.

"So where did Jade go?" I ask.

"Amity," says Christina. She is shaking her head. "I don't know where we went wrong. I mean I would have understood Erudite or Candor but Amity. I just don't understand it. I'm not sad, I want her to be happy but I will be glad when initiation is over and I can go and visit her. Find out what made her pick Amity."

I look at Tris and I know she is telling me to keep my mouth shut. Of course Jade picked Amity; I don't understand how Christina can't see it. Jade has had to deal with her parents fighting over her for most of her life. And we aren't talking about a few disagreements. We are talking about screaming matches in the middle of the Pit where all of Dauntless could see. I'm sure she has gone to Amity for some peace from her parents.

"Do you think you could bring some of their bread back with you?" says Zeke.

"What for?" Christina asks.

"They put peace serum in it. I have always wanted to try it," Zeke says and we all start laughing at him.

"Where are the boys?" I ask.

"They were here earlier, they have gone to Uriah's for the night. I think they are just trying to think up a way of picking on the transfers without you finding out," Tris says laughing.

"Yeah, as if that won't happen. You think those six would have worked out they can't hide anything from us by now," Zeke says laughing.

We all start laughing because it is true. Our children are truly Dauntless, it's just they always seem to get caught. And just like it has been for the last twenty years, we are sitting in the dining hall having a laugh.

* * *

 _Well that's the end. I hope you've enjoyed this one. Thank you to everyone who has supported the story. Thank you for the kind reviews, for following and for adding this as a favourite. I really appreciate all the support. I have some more story ideas, so I will start writing a new story very soon._


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